Gray Water - What is it?

Several months ago my local newspaper had a very interesting article on something called "gray water". It drew my attention because we have a lawn that takes up about 1/2 an acre and the summer water bills can get pretty nasty. Below is some great information on "gray water" that I found at www.sahra.arizona.edu :

""Gray water" is wastewater collected from clothes washers, bathtubs, showers, and laundry or bathroom sinks. If properly collected and stored, it can be safely re-used, thereby reducing fresh water consumption. Reuse of gray water can also reduce the load on septic tanks and leach fields.

Gray water is distinguished from "black water", which is wastewater from toilets, kitchen sinks and dishwashers. Black water should never be reused in the home because of possible contamination by bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

Gray water may contain food particles, detergent or soap residue, and possibly some human pathogens. But as a general rule, gray water does not require extensive chemical or biological treatment before being used for landscape irrigation. Gray water can be put to other uses. It is best to use gray water on ornamental plants and lawns, or to irrigate trees, rather than on food plants, especially those that are often eaten raw; such as carrots or lettuce or herbs.

Soap and detergent are the components in gray water, which could adversely affect plants the most. The wastewater from the shower or lavatory sink generally contains only a small amount of soap, and has few solid residues. However, re-using water from a clothes washer may be much easier, from a plumbing standpoint. Special detergents can be purchased to lessen any harmful impacts on plants.

Gray water may be immediately directed to landscaping, or it may be stored for later use. When stored, filtering the water is more important, to reduce the growth of any pathogens. Gray water should not be used for dust control, cooling, spray irrigation, or any other use that would result in air-borne droplets or mist.

CAUTION: In some areas, reuse of water is either prohibited by health officers and/or plumbing inspectors, or requires an inspection and permit. Make sure that it is legal in your area before setting up a gray water collection site in your home!"

I plan to see what the regulations are in my area and find out if this will work in our location. I'll let you know what I find out!