# Grey water



## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

So my plumbing code refers to grey water systems in chapter 15 as "Alternate water sources for nonpotable applications." I'm sort of unfamiliar with grey water in general because Oregon removed it from the specialty plumbing code.

This 'customer' is trying to tell me that dumping washing machine discharge into the yard is perfectly legal. After doing some reading, I can't say that she's wrong, at least in a general sense, but it appears that there are definitely a lot more requirements to it than just dumping it on your lawn so that it is green.

I personally wouldn't want any of my waste water dumping on my lawn. I'd rather have a dead lawn because the water bill is too high than have smelly grass.

Thoughts?


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## exclamation (Mar 11, 2013)

I’ve seen a couple ks+wm drains way outside of any city limits (in TX) that went underground and discharged into a ditch at the end of the property - no idea if it’s legal though - I would imagine at least it probably was at one time


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Grey water is contaminated water less fecal matter.

Ridiculous a State would let you dump that on open ground without treatment.

In Illinois years ago it was common for rural or farm location to discharge kitchens & laundries into a French well.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

anything is possible, but my understanding of grey water is it is saved in a container to be used for flushing toilets and then it goes to a septic system or sewer treatment plant, the idea behind it is to recycle water to save using fresh water for toilets...I would ask local inspector for all details before you plumb an illegal system and get fined or sued by homeowner, as a plumber your suppose to know better..


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

I'm shocked that California of all places is allowing what appears to be a potentially unsanitary setup without even the need for a permit given that it meets 13 qualifications.

Anyone who is interested check it out here. Section 1501.1.1

https://greywateraction.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Chapter-15-CA-Plumbing-Code-2016.pdf 


Even given all of those qualifications I'm thinking they need to put a little more thought into what exactly they are wanting other than dumping it in the backyard.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Alan said:


> I'm shocked that California of all places is allowing what appears to be a potentially unsanitary setup without even the need for a permit given that it meets 13 qualifications.
> 
> Anyone who is interested check it out here. Section 1501.1.1
> 
> ...



I read through some of your link, it sounds like an engineer needs to design a system , or I would have one do it for liability reasons, it looks like if your going to use grey water for watering the soil it needs to be a subsoil system so all the nasty crap doesnt start smelling up the place...and every other sentence is " local jurisdiction has final say"...


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> it looks like if your going to use grey water for watering the soil it needs to be a subsoil system so all the nasty crap doesnt start smelling up the place...


This the most.

The real kicker here is that they want it right near where the septic is. So they already have a subsurface drainage there.

:blink:


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Alan said:


> This the most.
> 
> The real kicker here is that they want it right near where the septic is. So they already have a subsurface drainage there.
> 
> :blink:


that could cause issue with the septic system, im guessing they perk tested for the septic, now if you run more water on a regular basis next to the septic , the septic system could flood if not enough perk in the soil or far enough away so it doesnt run into the septic field..


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> that could cause issue with the septic system, im guessing they perk tested for the septic, now if you run more water on a regular basis next to the septic , the septic system could flood if not enough perk in the soil or far enough away so it doesnt run into the septic field..


I really wouldn't expect issues with that since we're taking a fixture away from the septic tank itself and diverting it potentially on top of the leach field.

The only thing that isn't making sense to me in this code is #7 

"Gray water may be released above the ground surface provided at least 2 inches of mulch, rock or soil or a solid shield covers the release point. Other methods which provide equivalent separation are also acceptable."

So a 2" covering of gravel over the end of the pipe allows me to discharge it onto their lawn? I'm not buying that, and I really don't think that it's a great idea. I could see if soil perc was accounted for at the surface discharge point.

Seems like a lot of calculations that I don't really know much about. I'd love to learn more about this stuff, because it seems to be getting more prevalent, and nobody around here really does anything with it.
:brows:


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

My thought is hillbilly plumbing. Just another statistic and from doing service work it doesn't surprise me anymore.

_In the wealthiest nation on Earth... but more than 1.6 million Americans do not have indoor plumbing. The map that shows where
_

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...6-million-Americans-dont-indoor-plumbing.html


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

What one of you called a "french drain" we call a drywell. Aside from the obvious option of repurposing an old well slightly newer versions were holes filled in with very large rocks, then smaller and smaller till you got to topsoil. The pipe would dead end in the large rocks which basically made a very small cess pit. A modern version of that is a "galley" which is a large hole, the bottom is lined with gravel, split corrugated pipe is placed over top as a roof, then more gravel and then dirt. The end result is the same, the grey water ends up subsurface. The only difference between this and a section of leach field is the provision for some solids to build up as drywells usually handle the kitchen sink, shower, and washing machine.

Drywells were very common before modern septic tanks because your main sewage disposal option was a cess pit designed for large amounts of solids but with little ability to leach water quickly. Drywells are the opposite, little solids with lots of water.

As for discharging above ground, unless you pipe the kitchen sink or toilets above ground it really doesnt smell.

I just want to remind all of you that this is only what I have seen in my area and is not neccessarily indicative of code or what you should do. Where I live pretty much anything can be grandfathered in and almost nothing is checked unless a property is sold and one of the parties involved cares.


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

Yeah the code specifically does not allow it to discharge above ground unless it's into a 2" deep gravel or mulch bed over the top of the pipe. Not onto your lawn.

I checked with the building officials and it sounded to me like they want to stay away from that kind of stuff anyway.

Seemed like sort of a half-cocked idea to begin with anyway trying to get me to do more than "just a service call" for the price of the service call.

Oh well.


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