Graywater? Sounds gross. Graywater is wash water–basically all the water that goes down the drain except for toilet water. The definition becomes more clear in the description of the requirement:
Design and install a graywater reuse system for landscape irrigation use (i.e., not a septic system) or indoor water use. The system must include a tank or dosing basin that can be used as part of the irrigation system. Graywater must be collected from at least one of the following:
- clothes washer
- showers
- some combination of faucets and other sources estimated to exceed 5,000 gallons per year.
This credit awards just one point for what I would consider to be a huge plumbing endeavor. We did look into this, and found out that the city would not allow us to use graywater for irrigation. While initially surprised by this restriction, when you think about it, that makes sense. What are we putting down our drains, anyway? Should people be allowed to take what they put down their drains, even if it is filtered, and spray it all over their yard? I’m not sure I would want my neighbors doing that. And from an environmental perspective, it could turn into a nightmare when the groundwater seeps into nearby lakes and rivers. I’m glad the city does not allow this!
We then looked into the possibility of storing graywater and using for indoor use — which would be just toilets, I am guessing. There are systems out there, and it seems like a good idea in theory. When we had our plumber price it out, it would have required almost double the number of pipes to and from all of the sinks, showers, and toilets, because the graywater had to be separate. Or something like that – it was complicated. Then I saw a video about how “easy” these systems were to operate. Except that the tanks needed to be completely rinsed out and cleaned two times per year (which would take a lot of water). Ultimately, the price and inconvenience of this system rendered it a no-go, a decision we do not regret.
Water Efficiency points so far: 0
Cumulative points: 26
Additional points needed to get to Gold: 62