Our hot water takes 4lts before it comes through, that’s all saved. We have cut ins on all the drain pipes and on the GH roofs, @KT53 where does your roof run off go to?
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
For the last few years I have been running an old hose from my bathroom (first floor) to the flower beds.
When not in use, I hang the hose/siphon from a hook outside the bathroom window. The hose then runs down behind the guttering and behind raised beds. It is permanently placed under big bushes. I can then reuse bath water or collected shower water in the tub. I put the hose into the tub with a little siphon/hand pump attached (£2.30 on Ebay). I squeeze the hand pump about eight times to get the air out and the water in, and then the water runs out through the hose on its own until the water is gone. Once things are running, I can then go down to the garden and move the hose outlet about, if I need to.
NB. The siphon pipe does need to be close to vertical for it work properly. Not sure why.
As long as the hose outlet is lower than the water source, physics will clear the bath etc for you. The hose can go below the level of the flower beds and up again.
It works wonderfully well for me and feels like a great, practical use of grey water. It's not a good idea to store grey water without properly installed, specific grey water designed tanks. There is ecoli etc in the water which gets stinky quickly. But it's fine on flower beds, if it's 'fresh'. Just put in the bath plug to collect shower water. The water pressure for me is good because the source is on the first floor. It would work just as well with a bucket or a sink.
I hope the detail might prove useful to you as ideas for reusing water.
Hooks where the hose and siphon pipe hang when not in use. The hose is tied in permanently behind the guttering, which disguises it. Kind of.
*The (green) hose runs behind the planters on the left and the outlet sits under rose bushes. I can then come down and move the hose end about, once the water flow is going, if needed.
If you don't have a syphon pump then you can run the garden hose up into the bath, turn the garden tap on until water comes out into the bath then pull the hose off the garden tap (use a quick release fitting). Keep the end of the hose submerged in the bath at all times. I used to empty fish tanks like that.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Our hot water takes 4lts before it comes through, that’s all saved. We have cut ins on all the drain pipes and on the GH roofs, @KT53 where does your roof run off go to?
It goes straight down the downpipe into the drain. The pipe itself is cast iron so it's not possible to tap into it for a rainwater diverter. Also, the position of the downpipe is such that a waterbutt would block the driveway.
I have a question about using soapy water on the garden. We know soap kills aphids by blocking the pores they use to breathe but would tipping washing up water on the lawn have the same effect for the beneficial creatures that live in the soil? I don't use chemical soaps as I don't get on with them so all the soap going on the lawn is natural. I just worry that I'm sterilising my soil by reusing soapy water.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Thats a great set-up @Fire, youve inspire me to do the same. If I dont post again its because Ive fallen out of the bathroom window trying to set up a hose
Wonderful Jelly. I'm still pondering to see if I can come up sometime and see your wonderful garden. Maybe in combination with a visit to Beth Chatto....
Great idea Fire. We did that once in a previous house from an upstairs bathroom - new husband thought I was barmy. Unfortunately we haven't the set up here to be able do it again.
I'm just about to install a 1000l IBC behind the shed. Not sure how long it will take to fill up but I hope by next May it may be filled. I've got to hide it but least I got some water
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@KT53 where does your roof run off go to?