Greywater is recycled water from domestic use in the home. It includes water from baths, showers, hand basins, and washing machines. Greywater from the kitchen (including dishwashers) should not be used as the concentration of food wastes and chemicals is not readily broken down by soil organisms.
Using greywater can keep your garden thriving during periods of low rainfall; however, you need to know how this affects your home, garden, and environment.
If used incorrectly, greywater can damage your soil, plants or even put your family and pets at risk. This is because greywater has chemicals and bacteria in it, which with the wrong application can cause problems.
Safety and water quality
Always use the safest source of greywater whenever possible.The safest greywater is from rinse in your washing machine. The wash cycle is the next safest, followed by bath or shower water.
It is a good idea to stop using greywater if somebody in the household is sick with a stomach bug, measles, or the flu, as this can increase the risk of other people becoming ill. Divert water directly to the garden.. This means whenever you shower or wash clothes, your garden is watered.
Don’t store greywater for more than 24 hours.This means whenever you shower or wash clothes, your garden is watered.