Laundry washer to plant tub filtration

Front loading washer drains to marsh plant filtration, then greywater system used to flush the toilet.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• toilet
• water
• conservation
• greywater
• graywater
• filter
• bio-filter
• drain
• washer
• laundry

[domesticlonghair]

Great idea. How often do you need to do laundry, though, in order to keep toilet water at the ready? (i.e., what's the tub capacity--I assume you use the toilet a lot more often than the laundry....)

[BenjaminNelson]

@domesticlonghair

Yep, I flush the toilet a lot more than I do laundry. The tub is somewhere in the range of thirty gallons. We use a 1.6 gallon per flush toilet. The chain from the flush lever to the flapper is adjusted so it closes again when you let go of the toilet handle. In this way, 1.6 gallons is the absolute max volume of water used. If you wish to use less water, just hold the handle down for only as long as you need to. It all works out very well.

[Wildthing1994]

If you attached a float (like whats in your toilet) have it in the tub, connected to a small valve controlling a small water line you could control the minimum level in the tank, and have another for the max level, or you could look into pressure switch connected to a 24V DC supply, connected to two solonoid valves, and control the level that way. Message me if you need help, finding exactly what you need.

[BenjaminNelson]

@Wildthing1994

Yep, I've thought about doing something like that. It's just that it's more work, and adds a level of complexity. (And chance of something breaking or going wrong)

So far, everything has going fine as it is.

I still need to add an overflow though. If I run out of water, I just run a little from the sink faucet, through the constructed wetland, into the water tank.

However, if TOO much water goes in from the laundry, it's hard to notice until too late.

[pgm98387]

Nice,

Can I pick me up one of those kits from Home Depot?

What about Lowes? Maybe Costco? just kidding....

Every new home should be available with that option! Wow, why are more folks doing this? Makes perfect sense to me, nice project....

[BenjaminNelson]

@pgm98387

I spent $11 at the local garden supply for the 3 buckets of stone and sand, a bag of dirt, and a couple of feet of landscaping fabric. A less lazy person could come up with all those materials for free.

[dimitrigregorieff]

Great project. It is great to see that some people care enough to actually do something about preserving a clean and healthy environment!