Swaths of the United States are suffering drought conditions; this is in contrast to the other regions where many are just praying the rain stops. Those of us who live in the dry areas may be wondering how to water the garden without breaking the no sprinkler ordinances established by many municipalities.

Photo Credit: Mike Baird

Save your grey water!

Grey water is water that would go down the drain but isn’t contaminated with human waste. Sources of this water include showers and tubs, sinks, and your clothes washer. Saving the grey water is a bit of a hassle, but well worth the effort. We’re all being told to put a little more exercise into our day, let’s look at this as just another opportunity.

If it takes a few moments for the water in your shower to reach a comfortable temperature, don’t let that water go to waste.

Use a five gallon bucket or a rubber tote to catch the water.

When saving water is absolutely crucial, you can remove the j or p-trap underneath bathroom sinks and place a bucket beneath to catch all the water that would normally be sent to the waste treatment plant. Most plants won’t mind a little bit of heavily diluted hand soap or toothpaste. (You don’t run the water while you brush your teeth, do you?)

Saving grey water from the clothes washer can be simple. Simply place the drain tube into a large bucket or container instead of the usual sink or drain. Please use common sense and caution and do not allow your washer to drain into a too small container. Cleaning up the overflow would be quite the headache.

Do not water your plants with grey water containing harsh detergents or bleach.

It is best to just capture the rinse water from the washing machine that would contain the least amount of soap.

When watering from a bucket or watering can, it’s best to water as close to the base of the plant as possible. Move the mulch out of the way and pour slowly so the soil has a chance to absorb the moisture. If you just dump the bucket over the plant, much of the water will splash out of the plant’s reach, wasting all of your effort.

Don’t forget to a thick layer of mulch will help prevent that hard-earned water from evaporating.