I just found out that it is illegal to use gray water in NC. Can you belive it?! I have four plastic trashcans that I use as water barrels. I poured my gray water in them and used them in my garden all last summer. Obviously, I had no idea that such a simple way to recycle and conserve was illegal!!
Those laws were put into effect when all the dish soap, laundry detergent, etc contained phosphates and other chemicals that would harm the soil and plants if it was dumped out on them. Going thru the waste water treatment process would clean some of that out. With the 'green' movement starting about 20 years ago, cleaning products became more readily available without the harmful chemicals and would be safe to use on plants but State/county/city laws can not be changed because very few people use the earth friendly products.
It does seem likely that the law was put into effect before soaps became less harmful to the environment. I don't know what the law is here, but I've used gray water in the garden when we're on water restriction. I won't tell if you don't. LOL
What they are saying sounds really logical to me. Perhaps you could make yourself a hero to gardeners by bringing the law to someone's attention?
Gray water is legal in Arizona, but only on non edible plants and trees. We use water from the washing machine and shower but not water from dish washing. It has too much food bacteria in it. I do use the rinse water from dishes on the trees and rose bushes. dooley
I only use the rinse water in gray water. this particular law was actually posted on the coop. extension website. It actually states that using gray water from rinsing fruits and veggies is also illegal. But it is OK to collect clean water while waiting for it to warm up. So, I don't know how much good it would do to bring it to anyone's attention. I might be monitored extra closely . . . Picture the headline . . . "Local gardener pollutes ground with recycled water" with a picture of me being taken away in handcuffs. lol
i think it is wonderful how you all are conscience about the earth. there is little recycling in the country area where I am and when family from northern states come to visit they are shocked that we do not have recycling laws in effect where I live. It is funny too. Mississippi rural areas are so laid back with all of the trees and creeks, wildlife and such that the "green" issues are not even something that we wrap our brains around. The disdainful term of tree hugger is not a slanderous term to my family because we do hug tree (climb) them. We love our land and trees for shade and the wildlife that lives in and on the trees. So, thank you gray water people for introducing me to such a concept and I hope to be a gray water user, minus the mosquitoes from rain water barrels. Our mosquitoes are ferocious and prolific.
I just wanted to use gray/grey water to irrigate my lawn and my local epa said that it is illegal to do so. This past summer we had about 5 months of drought and it makes better sense to recycle this water. The only part i need to use is sink and bath water only. I know laundry detergent kills the natural bacteria in your septic system which will cause it to fail. So therefore you should be able to have a seperate system for it and be free to use the sink and bath water for?? Maybe we here could get a petition together and find someone who can help with this issue seeing how wide spread this drought is affecting the U.S.
