Homemade Water Recycling

Water usage in residences is very high. Inside, we use water for bathing, toileting, cooking, washing clothes, and washing dishes; outside, we water our lawns and gardens. Most of these uses produce waste water, also known as "gray water." Gray water can actually be reused in some fashion if it's recycled properly. First, toilet water is not considered gray water and should not be recycled. All of the other uses produce waste water that is typically safe for watering a flower garden, vegetable garden, or indoor plants. Recycling water in this way can reduce your usage by many gallons.

Things You'll Need

• Buckets

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Instructions

• 1

  Select the sources of gray water you will use for recycling. The preferred sources include shower water and bathroom sink water. Water from the kitchen sink and dishwasher tends to have more grease in it and may be difficult to infiltrate in a garden.

• 2

  Use a bucket to collect shower water while bathing and while waiting for the water to warm up.

• 3

  Use a bucket to collect water from the bathroom sink. This can be done by using the stopper in the sink to collect water while in use and then using a cup to dip the water out of the sink and into the bucket. Alternatively, you can place a bucket under the sink and remove the trap from the plumbing. Be careful to check the bucket in this scenario often to ensure it does not overflow.

• 4

  Water your outdoor or indoor plants with the gray water you've collected in the buckets. It is preferable to use gray water on ornamental and decorative plants first. Food-producing plants can still accept gray water, but it should be alternated with freshwater.