Great video with clear description of how and why his graywater system was designed. Very useful addition of the photos taken during construction and of the system schematic. Super clear and informative.
15 YARDS??? Daaaayyaaaam... that's a lot. good thing you had help. It took me about 4-5 days to move 8 yards to repair my lawn at one point. Siiiick dude!
Good question. the upside down buckets or mulch shields are open at the bottom with holes cut in the top for the pipe to enter, so the water just percolates out the bottom after it drops into the bucket which shields the mulch from the pipe where the water comes out. the roots that are below or at the level of where the water comes out are the ones that can most readily access it.
There are people in Canada and Finland doing this ( pretty extreme) as well as desert locations around the globe. Bill Mollison has good videos on this for 4 different climates.
I suggest doing periodic tests for trace minerals in your soil after implementing this. You will want to know if you are experience Ph changes or changes in trace minerals that need to be addressed.
Whether you use greywater or not, leaving bleach and chemical-laden cleaning products behind is a lifestyle change needed for the health of the entire system known as planet earth! Anyone who thinks city-wide systems do a great job of dealing with these things is living in a dreamworld. Why do we think nothing of putting chemicals down our sink that we'd never put in our backyard and garden? One of the benefits of a greywater system is it brings this stuff back home to us.
Hi, Thanks for the question. The topic of the video and the preceeding comments are regarding grey water only. We are not talking about black water here. UPC does not allow either to be used for irrigation without proper treatment, disinfection and monitoring for safe water quality. Cheers!
Hi. We don't use bleach, or fabric softener and generally use only biodegradable or even better biocompatible soaps that are fairly widely available. if you do need to use bleach etc., the system has a 3 way valve that enables you to direct the chemicals to the sewer line as long as you aren't on septic.
No prob. Great episode. Unfortunately I found out today that my state doesn't allow grey water systems. Very sad. I was going to use this system as a model for my own.
The designer of Trathen's system wrote, "Once the greywater has been filtered (i.e. no hairballs or other large particles) then any 2 or 3-inch pipe will not easily get clogged." Hope this helps.
what about soap / detergent / and all the other chemicals that end up in gray water?? do you have to use natural products if u plant to water food gardens? and does he change the wood chip filter ?
I skipped all this and just put a hot shower in the back yard and connected the shower head to a long hose , then i just walk around showering myself whilst showering the plants. I Find it better then showering in the bathroom now, and I probably added $2000 to the value of the house, definitely a huge selling point lol.
Great video. It would be cool to see an update, a follow up video to see how his property is doing on the grey water system. I'm sure he has everything worked out and it is probably a jugle out there. Peace out.
We actually haven't had to specifically add mulch to the paths/basins yet. we haven't seen much change relative to the greywater. though it is breaking down. That said, we are nearly constantly adding recycled organic matter and mulch to resheet mulch the paths and build site fertility, water retention capacity. Over 35,000 lbs of mostly recycled organic matter added to our site in the 3 years we've been here. it's a 6,250 sq ft lot w/ over 200 varieties food, medicine, wonder...
@MrGabesutube, Great question. I use Oasis Biocompatible Laundry Detergent. It has no phosphates or plant toxins, and it biodegrades into plant nutrients. Developed by Art Ludwig, the graywater genius and author. He's at oasisdesign(dot)net. I get this detergent at our local natural foods store.
There are several requirements for gray water systems for flushing toilets (water closets) and urinals in Florida. Distribution piping must be clearly identified as containing non-potable water by pipe color or with metal tags. Gray water must be filtered, disinfected, and dyed. Gray water storage reservoirs must be appropriately sized and must have a make-up potable water supply.
@powerman1942yahoo, probably yes. But you'll need to make sure you can empty the pipes during a freeze. It doesn't hurt if water expands in your collector tanks (as long as there's some extra air space when the water expands.
I am currently trying to design a grey water system which then feeds a 12 metre wetland. I was thinking about using perforated pipes or irrigation pipes coming from the initial subsurface system to the wetland area but I think they will probably block after time. Can you recommend/suggest an alternative?
I don't understand how the water gets out when it's in the buckets in the mulch trenches. Do they have holes? Otherwise, wouldn't it just percolate out the top of the buckets? But then why does Trathen keep talking about how only trees can get to the water so low in the buckets?
Trathen's graywater system is on a suburban lot, not a large plot. It is within code, code that has just been finalized. The environmental health departments are pretty stringent about what they'll allow. And graywater doesn't carry pathogens like blackwater -- now, that IS important to be aware of proper disposal (e.g., septic system). Our forefathers (in China and in Europe, at the least) also gathered night soil (black water, human feces) to fertilize the fields.
peakmoment New York City now transports the dried solid fecal matter that is filtered out of its sewage treatment plants to a contracted company specializing in human manure that’s in New Jersey using large trucks. The final product is sold to builders, small farmers, and plant nurseries. Users of the product claim that the nutrients found in human manure exceed those found in manure from animals, which is due in part to the very diverse diets of humans. New York City used to ferry the remaining dried fecal waste off shore and dump it in the river, so the current method seems to be a better answer.
Also, this is Wisconsin. There actually was supposed to be some grey water law reform two years ago but the political turmoil caused that move to vanish. I doubt it will get back anytime soon.
It is crazy how much water a household uses everyday. But let's not forget that even greywater can be nasty stuff. I think it should be filtered befor it exits the house. There are a few manufacturers in Europe making some affordable systems, sold here in North America. A system like the one on this video, would never be approved in Canada. I belive that every one should try to live off grid. We might all realize how much water and power we just waist.
David Pedder Great point! In America, we could save a lot- food, water, energy... without really changing our overall lifestyles - just by cutting out the waste! If we each do what we can, go as 'off the grid' as we can, step by step, it adds up to a HUGE difference.People should also be mindful of what they put down the drain, greywater system or no, but especially if they have a greywater system. No chlorine bleach, the kind of detergents & soaps they use... Of course, chlorine bleach and other harsh household chemicals basically changes a septic system from an anaerobic wet 'compost' processing system - to a holding tank. A properly designed septic system that does NOT have chemicals (bleach, many cleaning products) put in it will function for decades without needing to be pumped out. And municipal wastewater systems are not designed to breakdown or remove chemical contamination, just the biological wastes- so all those chemical contaminants get flushed into groundwater, streams, rivers, bays... the ocean.Best to you-
What a great idea, If I had known about gray water systems I would have gotten a house with gray water system instead of the 3 bathrooms with Pergo tile and marble countertops. Oh well. The Home builders are guilty of not offering this and solar etc when selling all the McMansions. Why did they not offer Home Gray water systems, direct solar water heaters, solar panels, and water wells. Some people have some explaining to do!
After March 1, 2009, the Florida Building Code was updated and specifies that gray water may only be used for flushing of toilets and urinals (Florida Building Code, 2009)
Mr. Trathem Heckman does your system filter out phosphates and other harmful chemicals from soaps and detergents? I think this is a great system. Thank you,
of course it does.. until a big rain storm comes and washes the phosphates, harmful chemicals and all those disease causing pathogens out of his yard and god knows where. But otherwise its a great system, in fact everyone should have one! we are just one big Cholera epidemic away from solving the planets over-population problem.. "remember to always think green" :) Cheers!
Great question Daniel. Most greywater systems require you to change soaps and detergents to an eco-friendly variety. Look on the label for something that doesn't contain phosphates or other harsh chemicals or salts. Be sure to stay clear from soaps with chlorine, boron, and sodium. Some soaps are even being labeled as greywater friendly.
***** Why would you need to be concerned about phosphates? unless there was a significant risk of your contaminated graywater entering streams, rivers or other bodies of water??? Cheers!
Phosphates can damage your plants being irrigated by greywater. When designing greywater systems it is important to take into account your proximity to waterways and depth of water table. There are regulations and protocols to avoid contamination.
***** Wow!, your village must be proud of you Lol!!! Phosphates promote plant growth, they are a necessary plant nutrient. Phosphates are fertilizer for plants... Cheers
whats happens to the bleach and dish detergent, body wash, shampoo, fabric softener and other chemicals from the water that is introduced into your garden ecosystem
The system is "permitted' but it still does not comply with UPC health and safety code. Although UPC code does allow some types of gray water recycling systems, It is not to be used for irrigation without proper treatment, disinfection and monitoring for safe water quality. Cheers!
Won't the gravel be act as a biological filter, the retention time and predatory action of fungi and protozoa should remove the small numbers of microbial pathogens.
killcat1971 The system is simply not tested or approved to sanitizing the water to a level considered safe by any standards...there is no system or device to prevent the the system from overloading or flooding nor is there any testing to insure that the system is functioning correctly... or functioning at all.
so its no longer just a cool gray water system its suddenly a lifestyle change in that you must start using certain products only because it works for the system.
Do you know and understand the difference between GREYWATER and BLACKWATER/WASTEWATER? Also, do you own or know somebody that owns an rv or travel trailer?? look at those systems and how you dump and manage EACH of the holding tanks! Just somethin to think about.
Perhaps use Trathen as your model, and the state of California...and help make it legal in your own state. Start with making it legal/permitted in your town or county. The other path is to stay under the radar, do it following regulations like in the state of California, in hopes it will be retroactively approved when it does become legal. Legalizing graywater will become imperative as the fresh water crisis becomes more apparent.
What a dream to harvest rain water and then distribute the grey water to the garden. We are in Mendocino County, so its great to see this video and have a model to follow. I am going to ask the county about grey water systems now. Zero waste is our goal 🙏
good system. Im not one of the environmental wackos but I do believe in saving money. I would not have bothered with getting it permitted though. Its not any of the government's business if I recycle water.
there's 2 ways to look at why you would want to bother with permit and code. 1, if you done it correctly, you won't contaminate the land and maintain good sanitation(that's what the code and permit main purpose is suppose to be.) 2, I know the govt always want to poke their finger into people butt, and i'm not comfortable with it either(it's not my kinda thing.) It's better to follow the permit so, you won't be probe later on. You'll avoid a bigger hemorrhoids that way.
lotta goims in greywater which can affect others..hence laws and codes. but greywater use is wise, so invent solar sterilization..I have seen UV light sterilization of water in high end homes..
My state has it for flushing toilets and urinals only...which is fine with me. I dont need my soap and other chemicals going into the yard and back into the ground water.
Many places use recycled water for irrigating landscape. A sign will say something about this water is not potable. This recycled water is greywater that would otherwise go to the sewer.
I know this is pretty old, but I live in a place that still does not allow grey water systems. Does anyone know where I can find permitted plans to help expedite policy change?
+peakmoment thanks for the response! I'd like to find similar plans to what he has so I can hand them over to code enforcers and say "see other people have thought this through and it works for them!" btw, great videos! Thanks for all of your hard work over the years!
+Ryan Kudasik You're welcome. Do some net search...start with the city of Petaluma (CA) and state of California. Also check into Graywater Action - they may have codes. greywateraction.org
+Ryan Kudasik and Rhett, I'll ask our guest Trathen to reply. We like to revisit people from previous videos...and have done so with a number of them, but not here.
+Ryan Kudasik, Trathen (the show guest) says, "The system is still going strong and policy change has been great. Though this complex of a system is not the best place to start!"
Thanks so much for asking. I will contact him to ask some follow up questions. I don't shy away from complex. This system seems sensible and easy to explain to my code enforcers. Thanks for your legacy! Keep up the good work.
I will work out something. I met with a plumber today who has been in the area for decades. He only knows of one composting toilet installation. It's-- how do I put it -- not an enviro-lefty type area but he seems willing to work with me. It's really absurdist. The sucked out septic tank contents are spread on farm fields, CAFO lagoon contents (foul stuff) are spread on farm fields, pit privys are AOK. All of this is legal but my laundry water is ***dangerous***, too much fecal coliform. crazy.
Well if you follow his dangerous advice you might start the next apocalypse! Cholera has killed millions and still kills over a 100,000 people a year, it can spread quickly... the children and elderly are the first to die and its a very slow and painful way to go. Thankfully in this country we have health and safety codes like UPC that protect us from the next apocalypse... as long as people remember to follow the codes.
***** Wrong, 1.8 million die around the world every year from water contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms. Ignorance is bliss... you have no idea how difficult it is to track waterborne pathogens. You are the dangerous kind of stupid, the persons most likely to suffer at the hands of your ignorance will most likely be someones child.. they are the ones most vulnerable to the dangerous (and illegal) behaviors you promote. Cheers!
No doubt your estimate may be correct. Though I'm referring to greywater from properly designed greywater systems that consider the factors of health risk. And please don't call people ignorant nor stupid. You have no grounds to stand on fear-monger. I highly suggest you take your anger and questions about these technologies to other folks who have actual experience with them and not rant on UA-cam about them. Then experience them your self and run some test of those same fears your are peddling. I appreciate your general concern on this subject it is valid. Safety and health is upheld in designing and creating these systems. Carbon treatment is more effective and efficient then liquid treatment.
***** There is no differentiating between graywater and blackwater in UPC or other official medical waterborne disease studies as both sources contain the same disease causing pathogenic microorganisms. They are both classified as domestic effluent. Graywater is only recognised as different in so far as the level of treatment required is different... not that its safe to dump into the enviroment untreated. Someone who promotes activities that are both dangerous and illegal, I will not hesitated to call them out on their stupidity especially when there ignorance threatens the safety of others. This type of "technology" is both illegal and considered unsafe under the Uniform Plumbing Code. 'Permitted" (under a conditional and temporary exemption) does not prove that such a system is safe, its is in fact "non-compliant" Cheers!
okay, the grey water is use to water the plants not to drink. be informed people. use rain water collection for drinking, and yes there are legal potable rain water collection tanks
@powerman1942yahoo i live in virgina to i run pipe for a living ...... you already have these pipes in your yard and they do not freeze all your doing is changing the place it ends up youd might want to skip his 5 gallon bucket idea but are frost line is 12 inches but i would run it the same hight as your pipes are already i even reused all my old piping to save money and be a lil greener
interesting, apparently the UPC doesnt explain that there is a difference between the GREY water that this vid is about and BLACK/WASTE water that most of the negative comments refer to. Look at how RV holding tanks are setup, dumped, and managed. snack my troll??
he could have easily have done it himself. Its pretty simple especially since he has a crawl space. Had he had a slab it wouldnt be cost effective. You could easily do it without the knowledge of the California govt officials. Obviously retrofitting any type of construction is more work than doing it from the start the way you want it.
pvc pipe is cheap he said the whole system cost 4000 dollars if you did just the greywater it was 1000 he said thats cheap. Lets see you dont need a plumber or engineer to cut and connect pvc pipe thats easy any idiot can do it. to dig the trenches either use a shovel and hard work or rent a ditch witch at 55 dollars an hour. That small a yard you could easily do in a hour or less. greywater systems are cheap and easy to design and build for do it yourselfers.
I was being a little sarcastic, the biggest housing bubble the world has ever seen, Jumbo loans> over $400,000 and the gotta have were Italian tile floors and Granite countertops. If the corporate Home builders "Toll Brothers" Shows on HGVT had advised people to get solar when they bought their MacMansion then we would be in less of a pickle now wouldn't we? FHA, Fannie & Freddie should have done the same thing, this is massive failure to use technoligies & do it yourself is ok but it could
If you really don't use soap or other disinfectants then that could happen, but not with a good natural filtration system. So cry out all you want, but don't be a fear monger.
they're not offered....you have to get a house that you can invest in those technologies...It won't be done for you, you have to go out and do it.... good luck...
23:43 I knew this guy was a liberal the moment he started talking, but this was the stupidest thing he said the whole time. Children belong to the parents, NOT the state, and we have a constitutional right to travel. Trust ain't got nothing to do with it. Whoever "we" is ain't got no damn say in the matter. Period!!! Thems fightin' words to even hint at such a thing. 🤬
Common sense should be your guide when dealing with waste. If you live in a heavy populated area these systems are not for you, even if you have a few acres you would still run the risk of polluting your neighbor if done incorrectly. Your greywater may not harm you, but bacteria or pathogens you carry in your household may vary from your neighbors. If you have the land mass for it then maybe, considering our forefathers all used these methods, and lived to tell about it.
Good point. People don’t realize the amount of water that they will be diverting for even a two person household from the sewer system. If their yard is small, then some of the pockets that the water fills could extend to neighboring yards. It is hard to see what’s going on. The neighbor might not notice the change unless they have a tree that is adversely affected by the increased wetness underground.
Great video with clear description of how and why his graywater system was designed. Very useful addition of the photos taken during construction and of the system schematic. Super clear and informative.
I love this video so much. This is an excellent resource. I really appreciate the level of detail. Very inspiring and a pleasure to watch!
15 YARDS??? Daaaayyaaaam... that's a lot. good thing you had help. It took me about 4-5 days to move 8 yards to repair my lawn at one point. Siiiick dude!
This is a great thing and also the fact that bartering comes into play. Bartering is a wonderful thing to do for your community.
Please show us continue of this system with building pond. I'm so interested!
Thanks!
watching in 2021... hearing this guy talk about record drought...it has only begun my friend.
Good question. the upside down buckets or mulch shields are open at the bottom with holes cut in the top for the pipe to enter, so the water just percolates out the bottom after it drops into the bucket which shields the mulch from the pipe where the water comes out. the roots that are below or at the level of where the water comes out are the ones that can most readily access it.
There are people in Canada and Finland doing this ( pretty extreme) as well as desert locations around the globe. Bill Mollison has good videos on this for 4 different climates.
Huh. His swamp area sounds like a filter in an aquarium. Awesome!
exactly
I suggest doing periodic tests for trace minerals in your soil after implementing this. You will want to know if you are experience Ph changes or changes in trace minerals that need to be addressed.
This was a true joy to watch. Thank you!
This is a great idea I am thinking of doing this at my home.
Future looks promising with this young man
Whether you use greywater or not, leaving bleach and chemical-laden cleaning products behind is a lifestyle change needed for the health of the entire system known as planet earth! Anyone who thinks city-wide systems do a great job of dealing with these things is living in a dreamworld. Why do we think nothing of putting chemicals down our sink that we'd never put in our backyard and garden? One of the benefits of a greywater system is it brings this stuff back home to us.
Are the constructions plans available for this project somewhere on the web? Thanks.
Hi, Thanks for the question. The topic of the video and the preceeding comments are regarding grey water only. We are not talking about black water here. UPC does not allow either to be used for irrigation without proper treatment, disinfection and monitoring for safe water quality.
Cheers!
Rocking system. Sending love from mendo!
Hi. We don't use bleach, or fabric softener and generally use only biodegradable or even better biocompatible soaps that are fairly widely available. if you do need to use bleach etc., the system has a 3 way valve that enables you to direct the chemicals to the sewer line as long as you aren't on septic.
No prob. Great episode. Unfortunately I found out today that my state doesn't allow grey water systems. Very sad. I was going to use this system as a model for my own.
The designer of Trathen's system wrote, "Once the greywater has been filtered (i.e. no hairballs or other large particles) then any 2 or 3-inch pipe will not easily get clogged."
Hope this helps.
what about soap / detergent / and all the other chemicals that end up in gray water??
do you have to use natural products if u plant to water food gardens?
and does he change the wood chip filter ?
I skipped all this and just put a hot shower in the back yard and connected the shower head to a long hose , then i just walk around showering myself whilst showering the plants. I Find it better then showering in the bathroom now, and I probably added $2000 to the value of the house, definitely a huge selling point lol.
Great video. It would be cool to see an update, a follow up video to see how his property is doing on the grey water system. I'm sure he has everything worked out and it is probably a jugle out there. Peace out.
We actually haven't had to specifically add mulch to the paths/basins yet. we haven't seen much change relative to the greywater. though it is breaking down. That said, we are nearly constantly adding recycled organic matter and mulch to resheet mulch the paths and build site fertility, water retention capacity. Over 35,000 lbs of mostly recycled organic matter added to our site in the 3 years we've been here. it's a 6,250 sq ft lot w/ over 200 varieties food, medicine, wonder...
AN EXCELLENT USE OF COMMUNITY ENERGY, MIND, SOUL & SPIRIT IN A WORLD
OFTEN DEVOID OF SUCH....
@MrGabesutube, Great question. I use Oasis Biocompatible Laundry Detergent. It has no phosphates or plant toxins, and it biodegrades into plant nutrients. Developed by Art Ludwig, the graywater genius and author. He's at oasisdesign(dot)net. I get this detergent at our local natural foods store.
exactly what i need!!!i have a semi ran garden
Do you have a plan drawing?
Curious if there is any surface watering or if everything is underground?
There are several requirements for gray water systems for flushing toilets (water closets) and urinals in Florida. Distribution piping must be clearly identified as containing non-potable water by pipe color or with metal tags. Gray water must be filtered, disinfected, and dyed. Gray water storage reservoirs must be appropriately sized and must have a make-up potable water supply.
@salide, Trathen says yes.
Great video! 2021 is a horror year for California and most of the world!
@powerman1942yahoo, probably yes. But you'll need to make sure you can empty the pipes during a freeze. It doesn't hurt if water expands in your collector tanks (as long as there's some extra air space when the water expands.
I am currently trying to design a grey water system which then feeds a 12 metre wetland. I was thinking about using perforated pipes or irrigation pipes coming from the initial subsurface system to the wetland area but I think they will probably block after time. Can you recommend/suggest an alternative?
Definitely not just a rich boy dream, this is doable. Grey water is just another wasted resource in most communities.
I don't understand how the water gets out when it's in the buckets in the mulch trenches. Do they have holes? Otherwise, wouldn't it just percolate out the top of the buckets? But then why does Trathen keep talking about how only trees can get to the water so low in the buckets?
Can you water the vegetable garden with grey water that has been "filtered" through a wetland? Is it safe?
Trathen's graywater system is on a suburban lot, not a large plot. It is within code, code that has just been finalized. The environmental health departments are pretty stringent about what they'll allow. And graywater doesn't carry pathogens like blackwater -- now, that IS important to be aware of proper disposal (e.g., septic system).
Our forefathers (in China and in Europe, at the least) also gathered night soil (black water, human feces) to fertilize the fields.
peakmoment New York City now transports the dried solid fecal matter that is filtered out of its sewage treatment plants to a contracted company specializing in human manure that’s in New Jersey using large trucks. The final product is sold to builders, small farmers, and plant nurseries. Users of the product claim that the nutrients found in human manure exceed those found in manure from animals, which is due in part to the very diverse diets of humans. New York City used to ferry the remaining dried fecal waste off shore and dump it in the river, so the current method seems to be a better answer.
Also, this is Wisconsin. There actually was supposed to be some grey water law reform two years ago but the political turmoil caused that move to vanish. I doubt it will get back anytime soon.
It is crazy how much water a household uses everyday. But let's not forget that even greywater can be nasty stuff. I think it should be filtered befor it exits the house. There are a few manufacturers in Europe making some affordable systems, sold here in North America. A system like the one on this video, would never be approved in Canada. I belive that every one should try to live off grid. We might all realize how much water and power we just waist.
David Pedder Great point! In America, we could save a lot- food, water, energy... without really changing our overall lifestyles - just by cutting out the waste! If we each do what we can, go as 'off the grid' as we can, step by step, it adds up to a HUGE difference.People should also be mindful of what they put down the drain, greywater system or no, but especially if they have a greywater system. No chlorine bleach, the kind of detergents & soaps they use... Of course, chlorine bleach and other harsh household chemicals basically changes a septic system from an anaerobic wet 'compost' processing system - to a holding tank. A properly designed septic system that does NOT have chemicals (bleach, many cleaning products) put in it will function for decades without needing to be pumped out. And municipal wastewater systems are not designed to breakdown or remove chemical contamination, just the biological wastes- so all those chemical contaminants get flushed into groundwater, streams, rivers, bays... the ocean.Best to you-
So, is the main purpose of having the Wetland system to filter contaminants out of the water before going into the garden?
Yes
@dlamberson, it may seem yuppie-ish because Trathen set out to make a legal system, to pave the way for others to do likewise.
Awesome young man.
What a great idea, If I had known about gray water systems I would have gotten a house with gray water system instead of the 3 bathrooms with Pergo tile and marble countertops. Oh well.
The Home builders are guilty of not offering this and solar etc when selling all the McMansions. Why did they not offer Home Gray water systems, direct solar water heaters, solar panels, and water wells.
Some people have some explaining to do!
After March 1, 2009, the Florida Building Code was updated and specifies that gray water may only be used for flushing of toilets and urinals (Florida Building Code, 2009)
at work as always!
- Randy White
Randall Scott
Mr. Trathem Heckman does your system filter out phosphates and other harmful chemicals from soaps and detergents? I think this is a great system. Thank you,
of course it does.. until a big rain storm comes and washes the phosphates, harmful chemicals and all those disease causing pathogens out of his yard and god knows where. But otherwise its a great system, in fact everyone should have one! we are just one big Cholera epidemic away from solving the planets over-population problem.. "remember to always think green" :) Cheers!
Great question Daniel. Most greywater systems require you to change soaps and detergents to an eco-friendly variety. Look on the label for something that doesn't contain phosphates or other harsh chemicals or salts. Be sure to stay clear from soaps with chlorine, boron, and sodium. Some soaps are even being labeled as greywater friendly.
***** Why would you need to be concerned about phosphates? unless there was a significant risk of your contaminated graywater entering streams, rivers or other bodies of water???
Cheers!
Phosphates can damage your plants being irrigated by greywater.
When designing greywater systems it is important to take into account your proximity to waterways and depth of water table. There are regulations and protocols to avoid contamination.
***** Wow!, your village must be proud of you Lol!!!
Phosphates promote plant growth, they are a necessary plant nutrient.
Phosphates are fertilizer for plants...
Cheers
whats happens to the bleach and dish detergent, body wash, shampoo, fabric softener and other chemicals from the water that is introduced into your garden ecosystem
The system is "permitted' but it still does not comply with UPC health and safety code.
Although UPC code does allow some types of gray water recycling systems, It is not to be used for irrigation without proper treatment, disinfection and monitoring for safe water quality. Cheers!
Won't the gravel be act as a biological filter, the retention time and predatory action of fungi and protozoa should remove the small numbers of microbial pathogens.
killcat1971 The system is simply not tested or approved to sanitizing the water to a level considered safe by any standards...there is no system or device to prevent the the system from overloading or flooding nor is there any testing to insure that the system is functioning correctly... or functioning at all.
Obviously you missed the point from this, it's not an end all piece, Cholera, Typhoid, Hepatitis is from black water (toilets) so you are confused.
so its no longer just a cool gray water system its suddenly a lifestyle change in that you must start using certain products only because it works for the system.
This is an awesome system and I would love to have something like this in my life but the guy did this very "yuppie-ly"
Done. We grant Creative Commons without derivatives--no changes to the video.
Do you know and understand the difference between GREYWATER and BLACKWATER/WASTEWATER? Also, do you own or know somebody that owns an rv or travel trailer?? look at those systems and how you dump and manage EACH of the holding tanks! Just somethin to think about.
Perhaps use Trathen as your model, and the state of California...and help make it legal in your own state. Start with making it legal/permitted in your town or county. The other path is to stay under the radar, do it following regulations like in the state of California, in hopes it will be retroactively approved when it does become legal. Legalizing graywater will become imperative as the fresh water crisis becomes more apparent.
What a dream to harvest rain water and then distribute the grey water to the garden.
We are in Mendocino County, so its great to see this video and have a model to follow. I am going to ask the county about grey water systems now.
Zero waste is our goal 🙏
good system. Im not one of the environmental wackos but I do believe in saving money. I would not have bothered with getting it permitted though. Its not any of the government's business if I recycle water.
there's 2 ways to look at why you would want to bother with permit and code.
1, if you done it correctly, you won't contaminate the land and maintain good sanitation(that's what the code and permit main purpose is suppose to be.)
2, I know the govt always want to poke their finger into people butt, and i'm not comfortable with it either(it's not my kinda thing.) It's better to follow the permit so, you won't be probe later on. You'll avoid a bigger hemorrhoids that way.
lotta goims in greywater which can affect others..hence laws and codes. but greywater use is wise, so invent solar sterilization..I have seen UV light sterilization of water in high end homes..
My state has it for flushing toilets and urinals only...which is fine with me. I dont need my soap and other chemicals going into the yard and back into the ground water.
Many places use recycled water for irrigating landscape. A sign will say something about this water is not potable. This recycled water is greywater that would otherwise go to the sewer.
I know this is pretty old, but I live in a place that still does not allow grey water systems. Does anyone know where I can find permitted plans to help expedite policy change?
+Ryan Kudasik This system is permitted in his county. I think Trathen mentioned the state of California is working on acceptable plans.
+peakmoment thanks for the response! I'd like to find similar plans to what he has so I can hand them over to code enforcers and say "see other people have thought this through and it works for them!" btw, great videos! Thanks for all of your hard work over the years!
+Ryan Kudasik You're welcome. Do some net search...start with the city of Petaluma (CA) and state of California. Also check into Graywater Action - they may have codes. greywateraction.org
Put one in anyway. If you do it right they will think its just a big flower bed.
GND3153 ya. Ya. That's my plan. :)
awesome!
Fixed...Thanks, MnDraw.
May I know how it is doing now?
+Rhett Carillo Ya. I ask that question about a lot of their videos.
Peak Moment should go back and revisit people from previous videos.
+Ryan Kudasik and Rhett, I'll ask our guest Trathen to reply. We like to revisit people from previous videos...and have done so with a number of them, but not here.
+Ryan Kudasik, Trathen (the show guest) says, "The system is still going strong and policy change has been great. Though this complex of a system is not the best place to start!"
Thanks so much for asking. I will contact him to ask some follow up questions. I don't shy away from complex. This system seems sensible and easy to explain to my code enforcers. Thanks for your legacy! Keep up the good work.
I will work out something. I met with a plumber today who has been in the area for decades. He only knows of one composting toilet installation. It's-- how do I put it -- not an enviro-lefty type area but he seems willing to work with me.
It's really absurdist. The sucked out septic tank contents are spread on farm fields, CAFO lagoon contents (foul stuff) are spread on farm fields, pit privys are AOK. All of this is legal but my laundry water is ***dangerous***, too much fecal coliform. crazy.
* I LOVE IT absolutely would like to do this i have 4 acres would hate to waste water and i grow my iwn veggies
Why do you need to use the bacteria to remove the nutrients? Won't the nutrients be good for the plants the rest of the plants instead?
Too much nitrogen can “burn” the plants, so the bacteria can help remove some of the excess nitrogen.
Definitely not a rich boy dream, this is doable. Grey water is another wasted resource in most communities.
this is the guy id want with me in the apocalypse hah! could learn a lot
Well if you follow his dangerous advice you might start the next apocalypse!
Cholera has killed millions and still kills over a 100,000 people a year, it can spread quickly... the children and elderly are the first to die and its a very slow and painful way to go.
Thankfully in this country we have health and safety codes like UPC that protect us from the next apocalypse... as long as people remember to follow the codes.
doktorbimmer for the record there hasn't been a reported case of health issues directly related to greywater to this date.
***** Wrong, 1.8 million die around the world every year from water contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms.
Ignorance is bliss... you have no idea how difficult it is to track waterborne pathogens.
You are the dangerous kind of stupid, the persons most likely to suffer at the hands of your ignorance will most likely be someones child.. they are the ones most vulnerable to the dangerous (and illegal) behaviors you promote.
Cheers!
No doubt your estimate may be correct. Though I'm referring to greywater from properly designed greywater systems that consider the factors of health risk.
And please don't call people ignorant nor stupid. You have no grounds to stand on fear-monger.
I highly suggest you take your anger and questions about these technologies to other folks who have actual experience with them and not rant on UA-cam about them. Then experience them your self and run some test of those same fears your are peddling.
I appreciate your general concern on this subject it is valid. Safety and health is upheld in designing and creating these systems.
Carbon treatment is more effective and efficient then liquid treatment.
***** There is no differentiating between graywater and blackwater in UPC or other official medical waterborne disease studies as both sources contain the same disease causing pathogenic microorganisms. They are both classified as domestic effluent. Graywater is only recognised as different in so far as the level of treatment required is different... not that its safe to dump into the enviroment untreated.
Someone who promotes activities that are both dangerous and illegal, I will not hesitated to call them out on their stupidity especially when there ignorance threatens the safety of others.
This type of "technology" is both illegal and considered unsafe under the Uniform Plumbing Code.
'Permitted" (under a conditional and temporary exemption)
does not prove that such a system is safe, its is in fact "non-compliant"
Cheers!
okay, the grey water is use to water the plants not to drink. be informed people. use rain water collection for drinking, and yes there are legal potable rain water collection tanks
@powerman1942yahoo i live in virgina to i run pipe for a living ...... you already have these pipes in your yard and they do not freeze all your doing is changing the place it ends up youd might want to skip his 5 gallon bucket idea but are frost line is 12 inches but i would run it the same hight as your pipes are already i even reused all my old piping to save money and be a lil greener
The link at the end of the video description is misspelled. The hyphen in the word "daily-acts" needs to be removed.
@MrGabesutube Try Sapindus Mukorossi aka Soap nut tree! 100% Green Detergent!
I am getting a japanese language page. I translated it with google but it is about dental implants....... I sure would like to see your page :(
interesting, apparently the UPC doesnt explain that there is a difference between the GREY water that this vid is about and BLACK/WASTE water that most of the negative comments refer to. Look at how RV holding tanks are setup, dumped, and managed.
snack my troll??
Drought the way it is in California you have to do this
UPGardenr Treated Reclaimed water is the only safe way to recycle waste water
he could have easily have done it himself. Its pretty simple especially since he has a crawl space. Had he had a slab it wouldnt be cost effective.
You could easily do it without the knowledge of the California govt officials.
Obviously retrofitting any type of construction is more work than doing it from the start the way you want it.
pvc pipe is cheap he said the whole system cost 4000 dollars if you did just the greywater it was 1000 he said thats cheap.
Lets see you dont need a plumber or engineer to cut and connect pvc pipe thats easy any idiot can do it.
to dig the trenches either use a shovel and hard work or rent a ditch witch at 55 dollars an hour. That small a yard you could easily do in a hour or less.
greywater systems are cheap and easy to design and build for do it yourselfers.
plant on mounds
hi.
Try again. dailyacts-dot-org is working fine.
so wheres the dope growing?
I was being a little sarcastic, the biggest housing bubble the world has ever seen, Jumbo loans> over $400,000 and the gotta have were Italian tile floors and Granite countertops.
If the corporate Home builders "Toll Brothers" Shows on HGVT had advised people to get solar when they bought their MacMansion then we would be in less of a pickle now wouldn't we?
FHA, Fannie & Freddie should have done the same thing, this is massive failure to use technoligies & do it yourself is ok but it could
If you really don't use soap or other disinfectants then that could happen, but not with a good natural filtration system. So cry out all you want, but don't be a fear monger.
they're not offered....you have to get a house that you can invest in those technologies...It won't be done for you, you have to go out and do it....
good luck...
The first thing to do in sustainability is move out of California,then you can grow what you want
23:43 I knew this guy was a liberal the moment he started talking, but this was the stupidest thing he said the whole time. Children belong to the parents, NOT the state, and we have a constitutional right to travel. Trust ain't got nothing to do with it. Whoever "we" is ain't got no damn say in the matter. Period!!! Thems fightin' words to even hint at such a thing. 🤬
@CelticKraut Zinger! *facepalm*
You need permits to recycle water? The fuck?
*****
Common sense should be your guide when dealing with waste. If you live in a heavy populated area these systems are not for you, even if you have a few acres you would still run the risk of polluting your neighbor if done incorrectly. Your greywater may not harm you, but bacteria or pathogens you carry in your household may vary from your neighbors. If you have the land mass for it then maybe, considering our forefathers all used these methods, and lived to tell about it.
Good point. People don’t realize the amount of water that they will be diverting for even a two person household from the sewer system. If their yard is small, then some of the pockets that the water fills could extend to neighboring yards. It is hard to see what’s going on. The neighbor might not notice the change unless they have a tree that is adversely affected by the increased wetness underground.
More like GAY water! tehehehe!