Home made DIY Grey water system water recycling.

I have always hated flushing clean water down the toilet and wasting the water that goes down the plug hole.

So I decided to make my own grey water recycling system.
It is fairly easy to put together if you are technically minded. And doesnt cost to much compared to other systems.

Step 1: Basic principle

The basic principle is when water goes down the plug hole from the bath shower or bathroom sink. It is collected in 2 soil pipes fixed to the side of the house, and then pumped up in to the loft to be stored in a storage tank ready to be used to flush the toilet.

here is a link to a larger image

http://sites.google.com/site/simonspagesproject/Home/grey-water-system

Comments

[johnrclarke]

Hi - I built a similar system using a massive Magnum Water barrel for storage some years ago...in addition to re-using the grey water in the house this gave me the option during the summer months to water the garden/lawn in times of draught. I never cured the smelly filtered water though and we had two toilets that were using the recycled water...eventually my wife banned the capture of water during the hot months. I guess commercial systems must have some complex biofiltration methods to get rid of all that hair,skin and smells generated. Good project though, well done...john

[andrewuk]

How do you protect against the outside pipes freezing?

[fjpalacios1]

I've seen this before on a renovation TV show, I just never had the motivation. However, after reading through your plans, I'm going to start working on it. Thanks for the motivation!

[niallosull]

hello, maybe a silly question but i live in a bunglow and the waste pipe is just 4inchs above ground level. will this system work or is it only for 2 storie buildings?

[Ronyon]

Very inspiring,what you did here.I keep comeing back here to look at your design. Im wondering how the storage tank is doing.I came across the idea of using aquarium style UV lights to sterilze laundry. I wonder if this would work for keepingb the tank free of dangerous organisms.

[dagdon]

This is a VERY environmental project.  Typically, this will save about half of your domestic water consumption.  Depending on your household demographics and their flushing and bathing/showering habits.  Modern toilets use only a fraction of the water per flush, compared to a couple generations ago.  If you need more "grey" water to balance the equation, consider the output from the laundry, too.
Board of health-wise.  You must have it constructed so there is an overflow of excess grey water into the drain( you have that).  Also, you need provision for freshwater feed to makeup any shortage of grey water.  (If not enough showers, you still need to flush.)  Finally, to pass engineering standards, you must provide for air-breaker and one-way valves so that even if the fresh water system (city water mains, whatever, experienced a momentary suction instead of pressure; the grey water could never enter the freshwater system. 
Congratulations on a very eco project. Nicely done.!!!
BTW, the cabin version of this is the bucket under the sink--bucket used to flush the toilet.

[simon72post]

I did think about doing it that way. but its good to have a storage tank in case. the toilet is used more. and the tubes outside get emptied. or if I have any problems with the system. a storage tank gives me a bit more lee way.

[dkstruska]

Couldn't you just skip the attic tank and have the pump piped directly to the toilet? A small pressure tank and pressure switch would be necessary, but there would be no exposed water inside to stink up the place except in the toilet.

[turner_chris1]

look at the dps system
http://www.telegraphbusinessclub.co.uk/default.asp?p_id=ibm-yourideas-detailhttp://www.telegraphbusinessclub.co.uk/default.asp?p_id=ibm-yourideas-detail

Ive seen it, looks good - you should disinfect - legonaires - aerosols - its in the regulations apparently

[wazzup105]

I really like the vertical pipe storage system... saves me from storing a large box full of water... I could just mount some pipes on the wall with an overflow "mechanism" to store some rain water...

[water harvest online]

Cool project! It's good to see people getting their hands dirty with the whole greywater concept. It truly is a super tangible way for people to start conserving water and make a noticeable difference. For more ideas check out www.waterharvestonline.com It's a really cool community where people can share ideas and their vision for the future of water harvesting.

[claudiojsouza]

Thanks for sharing... that's amazing... As soon as I have my own house I'll try it.

[nsgrossman]

So question: Would this be useful for me if I have a septic tank & well water? This makes perfect sense in a city where filtering requires many resources, but in my current setup waste water goes into my septic tank where it drips into the aquifer and is eventually reclaimed by the well. It would seem the pump needed to move the gray water would probably use a similar amount of power as my well pump, leaving the filtering action as the only real difference. Thanks for the info, GREAT tutorial! Peace Nate

[stormuk]

Simon, Great instructable and it's something I really want to do. Where I've had problems is sourcing a cheap removable/cleanable filter. You mention that you've used a 'foam filter' - can you let me know where I could get something like that and how much they cost? If anyone knows of any alternative filter types that would work for this, that would be helpful too!! Many thanks. James

[simon72post]

Hi the filter I'm using at the moment is a foam air filter. the type you would use for a car or motorbike. it will catch most of the larger lumps and hair and so on. it also dose not restrict the water flow to much. it is shaped like a cone. so it dosn't restric the water to much

[damoelld]

Great instructable! Where you live does it get below freezing? As I would worry about your collection pipe becoming solid in winter and spilling it's 'precious cargo' :) I think you are on the right track and with a few tweaks and alterations dealing with fungal growth and stagnation, and a few years, some form of this type of system will be legislated in all new builds. Keep it up!

[stormuk]

Simon, Thanks for your reply. So you mean like a K and N air filter? Sounds good. rying not to sound stupid now, how have you housed it and connected the pipes to it? I don't suppose you have any photos or drawings of this part? Thanks James

[brokengun]

This is pretty sweet. I haven't seen many DIY grey water recycling systems, this is a good way to do it though. Do you have any calculations as to how much money this will save? I have a well so I have no idea of the cost of public water. What would the payoff be for something like this? Considering your use of an old pump and just some pvc, I bet you don't have much invested...

[altomic]

excellent. very excellent. thank you a neat thing that I saw i Japan was when you flushed the toilet there was a tap and sink on the top of the cistern. so you push the button, toilet flushes and water starts running from the tap in to the sink which then goes in to the cistern to flush next time. the sink and cistern were one unit.

[chuckr44]

In the US they sell a special toilet top, connected to the toilet water inlet valve, which lets you wash your hands over the toilet tank (not bowl). So washing your hands fills the toilet tank for the next flush. But these are hard to find. Not sold in stores.

[danm95]

stinks if you still have soap on your hands when the tank is full! :-P

[WilderLust]

tanks have an overflow tube... excess water just goes down the tube into the bowl and sewer.

[iPodGuy]

That would only put out cold water, no? Not so good for washing with soap and killing germs.

[WilderLust]

no... you will plumb it like a regular sink. i was going to build a fiberglass sink-shower-toilet combo unit for a while but decided to do whole house gray water system and use the excess for the garden to supplement my rainwater system.

[madanna]

Hi. You don't need hot water for killing germs. All you need are wet hands, soap and friction (rubbing the surfaces of your hands together) - thorough drying is also essential. Not using hot water to wash your hands might be more energy/resource beneficial than re-plumbing your toilet. Neat instructable though.

[Broom]

I think you missed an essential point:

The system recycles from the sink to the toilet.

You wouldn't want to wash your hands in recycled greywater.

[iPodGuy]

Yeah, I got that. What altomic was saying is that there's toilets out there with a spout that puts out water for you to wash your hands with. The handwash water then fills the tank of the toilet. That is greywater recycling, but toilets are cold water so all that would come out of the spout is cold. That was really just an observation I made. The system featured in this i'ble is well-thought.

[Froggrrrr]

While cold water isn't the most comfortable to wash with, it isn't less hygienic. When my son was learning to wash his hands, even lukewarm water was "TOO HOT!". While complaining about this to a microbiologist friend he told me that the temperature of the water doesn't matter, it's that you work up a good lather to remove the germs. Washing in temperatures hot enough to actually kill or harm the bacteria would hurt! : )

[Froggrrrr]

oops, sorry, missed the above post!

[roosta]

im not sure thats quite right. why couldnt you put hot water into the cistern? the way i read it is that the taps (hot and cold) are on top of the cistern pumping fresh water through fromt the mains. flush the toilet, cistern empties, turn on the tap(s) and the waste water from washing fills the cistern. obviously if you just swapped out your toilet for one of these you would only have a cold water pipe there, but you dont need the old sink either so you may as well put the new toilet where the sink was and then you would have both hot and cold pipes present. then again pipes can easily be moved using flexible piping. i dont know how old this product is by i had a similar idea when i was 14 (2004-2005 time) where the bass and seat of the toilet slid out from under the cistern, and the sink was mounted on top. we were trying to fit a toilet and sink in an under stairs cupboard, but there wasnt enough space.

[The_Tom]

its actually a lot harder to move the toilet than it is to move the sink. i'd rather move the sink pipes to above the toilet than the toilet to under the sink pipes.

[Culturedropout]

Everything I've read (and experienced when dumping our bus's grey water tank) indicates that icky, smelly things will grow in grey water if it's stored for any length of time. It gets pretty disgusting. Ever taken apart the trap under the bathroom or kitchen sink? Ugh. Lots of mysterious, stinky, slimy stuff growing there. There's a booklet called, "Create an Oasis with Grey Water" which also mentions that storing it isn't a good idea. We have our shower set up with a valve in the crawlspace that lets you send the waste water either into the septic tank (we live in the country) or into the garden to water the grape vines. Works fine, but it's not stored. I'm curious if you've had this system in place long enough to be able to say whether or not there are problems with odor and/or bacterial growth. Very well done "Instructable" though; lots of nice pictures and diagrams, and good explanations.

[chuckr44]

Yep. I get so much black bacteria growing in my sink I actually have to clean the pipes once per year, as it builds up and impedes the flow of water down the drain. And that part isn't even under water.

[simon72post]

Hi I have already thought about this. I have a lid on the tank at the moment and hopefully that should be enough. But If I find I start having problems with smells and so on. I will change the tank for a smaller sealed container. with an overflow pipe. which will also act as a breather pipe which I can run up the side of the house to the roof. just like a soil pipe breather pipe. The only other thing that could possibly need a bit of attention at times is if there is a build up of muck on the inlet ball cock valve on the toilet or in the pump. But hopefully the filter will stop most of that. I will just have to wait and see. And you never know until you try.

[eseaman]

Nice instructable - but here in Adelaide, Australia you would have to adapt it a little to comply with regs. We have to use greywater within 24 hours, after that it needs to be allowed to run away and start again, though I guess you could arrange to empty the tank overnight and refill from the morning shower. Also (just in case anyone is interested...) regs here state that if we do anything permanent with greywater plumbing we have to have it noted on the deeds of the house! Temp solutions with pipes out of windows etc are fine though :) I really think greywater use is the way to go and would also recommend the book mentioned above "create an oasis with grey water".

[hammer9876]

This system seems pretty intriguing. I would have to wonder about reusing the bathwater three little boys have used (OMG), even in toilets!

There are two things I would note. One is, "Pipes and supply points on the grey water system must be clearly labeled in order to avoid confusion with the main drinking water." Quoted from http://www.rainwatercollection.co.uk/grey-water-collection.html

I would also make sure that everyone in the household and any guests are aware that everything that goes down "here" ends up "there" unless it gets caught in the filter.

[simon72post]

Hi that is a good point about labeling pipe. I will have to do that.

[nolte919]

Interesting system. What happens if the toilet needs more water than is provided from the shower, sink and bath? Also, are you concerned with things growing in the water causing it to be unsafe or smelly?

[simon72post]

Hi So far I have more than enough water for the toilet. and a lot of the water from the shower bath is still being wasted. the pump was running for quite a while to start with when it was original filling the tank. but now it only runs for a short while to top the tank up. I have also thought about the possible problem with smells and so on. and what I will do if it's a problem. see my response to Culturedropout

[bbsux]

I've been thinking of doing this with collected rain water, this may be a big help..