NEWSBYTE:

Recycling Water
the Greywater Guerillas' Way

Greywater is water that flows down sink, shower, and washing machine drains -- but not the toilet. Though it may not smell great due to traces of dirt, soap, food, grease, or hair, it is safe to use for irrigation. Greywater contains nitrates and phosphates from household cleaning products. If released untreated, these com-pounds pollute rivers and ground-water, but to garden plants, they are valuable nutrients. Aside from the obvious benefits of saving water (and money on your water bill), reusing your greywater keeps it from polluting local bodies of water and reconnects you and your garden to the natural water cycle.

The easiest way to use greywater is to pipe it right outside and use it to water ornamental plants or fruit trees. This avoids the risk of transmitting disease-causing microorganisms. Greywater can be used directly on vegetables as long as it doesn't touch edible parts of the plants. In any direct greywater system, it is essential to put nothing toxic down the drain--no bleach, no dye, no bath salts, no cleanser, no shampoo with unpronounceable ingredients, and no products containing boron, which is toxic to plants. It is crucial to use all-natural, biodegradable soaps whose ingredients do not harm plants.

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