Greyflow: Greywater Systems

Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)

• Intro/TOC
• Facing the Worldwide Water & Energy Challenge
• Best Water Management Practice for Households
• Grey Water Quantity & Quality
• Grey Water Reuse, Lessons Learned in the Past 12 Years
• Domestic Applications
• Commercial Applications
  • Commercial Applications with Domestic Systems
  • Commercial Applications With the Grey Flow PRO System

0:00 – 3:19: Intro/TOC

3:20 – 6:11: Facing the Worldwide Water & Energy Challenge

Resource depletion: Population growth & global warming lead to less fresh water and more wastewater.

• Fresh water is becoming scarcer and more expensive every day.
• In Australia, more than 50% of household water goes to gardens.
• Water restrictions are here to stay and may become worse (one day per week watering or even total watering ban).
• Landscape gardens do not need fresh water. They thrive on grey water.
• It’s been demonstrated that the fastest way to save energy is to save water.
• So why throw out the water you’ve just paid for when your garden needs it? Pay for water once and use it twice.

6:12 – 7:30: Best Water Management Practice for Households

• Scheme water/town water: Use for kitchen & bathrooms (25%)
• Rainwater tanks: Use for laundry & toilets (25%)
• Domestic grey water: Use for home garden (50%)
• Domestic black water: To sewer or septic

7:31 – 11:12: Grey Water Quantity & Quality

An average of 26 gallons of usable grey water per person goes to waste every day: 9 gallons through laundry, 17 gallons through bathrooms (mostly showers)

 

Kitchen grey water should not be reused when using non-treated systems (long-term effects on soils due to fats)

 

Use low-salt & low-phosphorous soaps & detergents:

• www.lanfaxlabs.com.au
• www.choice.com.au (search for "detergents")
• www.watercorporation.com.au
• Choose liquid soaps.
• Choose liquid or concentrate powder washing detergent.

 

Contrary to what many people think, grey water diversion leads to a cleaner environment:

• “Grey-water friendly,” environmental soaps and detergents are on the rise.
• Increase in people’s consciousness
• Soil is a much less fragile environment than the ocean.

11:13 – 18:55: Grey Water Reuse, Lessons Learned in the Past 12 Years

• Working with small buffer tanks (minimize storage)
• Self-cleaning mechanism (minimize cleaning filters)
• 2-stage installs (new homes)
  • Small gardens
  • Large gardens
• Plug & play (retrofits)
  • Partial reuse
  • Full house reuse
• Commercial applications can save a lot of water.
• Water restriction, government incentives & cost of water are the biggest drivers of grey water reuse (environment slowly growing)

18:56 – 30:22: Domestic Applications

G-Flow Plug & Play (8-gallon tank) (19:35)

• Above ground & partially buried
• 2” inlet/outlet

 

Grey Flow PS Plug & Play (5-gallon tank) (22:37)

• Above ground & partially buried
• 4” inlet/outlet

 

Grey Flow Pro Plug & Play (23:27)

• Above & below ground & partially buried
• 4” & 6” inlet/outlet

 

New Homes 2-Stage Install – Small Gardens (<40 square yards) with the G-Flow (24:38)

Stage 1: Getting the house G-Flow Ready

• Dedicated outdoor power point outside the laundry room
• 50mm PVC sleeve from the washing machine position to outside the laundry
• Disconnected Gully (DG) outside the laundry room

 

Stage 2: Installing the G-Flow System & the Irrigation Components

(preferably prior to starting paving work)

 

Photo examples of G-Flow as installed (25:35)

 

New Homes 2-Stage Install – Large Gardens (20 to 120 square yards) with PS model (26:20)

Stage 1: Getting the House Grey Flow Ready

• Dual piping (separate grey and black water pipes)
• Installing the Grey Flow PS builder’s kit
• Installing an approved redux valve
• Connecting the overflow back to the sewer
• Dedicated outdoor power point

 

Stage 2: Installing the Grey Flow System & the Irrigation Components

(prior to starting paving work)

• Installing the Grey Flow PS Finishing Kit
• Installing the self-cleaning mechanism
• Installing the Grey Flow Irrigation system
• Final commissioning of the system

 

Photo examples of Grey Flow PS installed (27:26)

 

New Homes 2-Stage Install – Large Gardens (40 to 240 square yards) with PRO Model (29:14)

 

Stage 1: Getting the House Grey Flow Ready

• Dual piping (separate grey and black water pipes)
• Installing the Grey Flow PRO builder’s kit
• Installing an approved redux valve
• Connecting the overflow back to the sewer
• Dedicated outdoor power point

 

Stage 2: Installing the Grey Flow System & the Irrigation Components

(prior to starting paving work)

• Installing the Grey Flow PS Finishing Kit
• Installing the self-cleaning mechanism
• Installing the Grey Flow Irrigation system
• Final commissioning of the system

 

Photo examples of Grey Flow PRO installed (29:27)

30:23 –end: Commercial Applications

Commercial Applications With Domestic Systems (30:23)

 

Grey Flow PS: 2-stage installs & plug & play below or above ground with:

• Self-cleaning filter mechanism
• Auto de-sludge

 

Photo examples of commercial applications with domestic systems (30:55)

 

Commercial Applications With the Grey Flow PRO System (34:04)

Grey Flow PRO (120- to 5,000-liter tank)

Below or above ground with:

• Self-cleaning filter mechanism
• Auto de-sludge mechanism
• Disinfection with ozone or chlorine

 

Photo examples of commercial applications with the Grey Flow PRO System (34:30)

 

AWWS Greyflow diversions (39:30)

• More than 12 years of experience in greywater diversion for gardens
• Competent & qualified design staff
• More than 6,000 systems sold worldwide (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Morocco, England, Chile & USA)
• A wide range of systems to suit domestic & commercial applications
• A unique & patented self-cleaning system
• Website: www.greyflow.net.au

 

Question:Can the system be installed underground in cold climates? (40:54)

Answer:Although the system has been installed underground in areas that experience relatively cold weather, there is no data on the systems being installed underground in places like Canada that experience extreme cold in winter. Temperatures a few degrees below freezing shouldn’t be an issue, but lower temperatures (such as 20 or 40 degrees below 0) can potentially cause issues. In climates where the temperature drops to these levels, the water may need to be drained and the system turned off for the winter.

 

Question:At locations where these systems are in place, what happens when the property is vacant? Is there a backup irrigation plan? (42:34)

Answer:Yes. You can back up these systems with a “tap timer” from the regular water system. However, note that an air gap will be required in these cases. Note also that many locations do not allow cross connections with grey water.

 

Question:a) Is it possible to retrofit existing drip systems with these greywater systems? b) What water pressure do these systems require? c) Is it possible to use pop-up irrigation with these greywater systems? (44:25)

Answer:a) Usually, existing drip systems will have excessively small passages for greywater system retrofits. You may be able to use them for a while, but they’ll eventually need to be replaced. b) As far as water pressure, the recommendation is to install drip systems with large passages (such as those that can pass sand). It won’t lead to more water use or require greater pressure; it will just get the water out faster. c) Using any type of spray with greywater diversion is generally not allowed, which means, in general, no pop-ups.

 

Question:What is the typical lifespan of these greywater systems? (47:20)

Answer:The recommendation is to replace the dripline every 8 to 10 years (although if it’s flushed properly and regularly, the lines can last 15 years). The pumps should be replaced about every 8 years. Note that grey water is much more aggressive than normal water. It will contain more chlorine, as well as some of the residual detergents from the laundry, which can erode the seals in the pumps. 

 

Question: It’s recommended that the first stage of these systems be installed outdoors. Is this because of odors? (49:05)

Answer: No. The tanks are so small that they will not smell. It’s recommended that they be installed outdoors because of the need to clean and change the filters, which is a messy job that you wouldn’t want to do inside the house.

 

Question: How big are the emitters in the specially designed dripline for greywater with the larger passages? (49:55)

Answer: The dripline is 16mm (a little bigger than ½ inch), but the emitters have a much larger passage than normal ones – about the size of a typical spray nozzle (2 ½ gallons per hour, 4 square mm).

 

Question: How much water will these systems deliver into the garden? (51:08)

Answer: The number of people living in the house will determine the amount of water going into the garden. On average, about ½ to 1 gallon per square yard, or 17 to 34 square yards per person.

 

Question: Do you know of any active groups that are pushing for greywater regulations in the U.S.? (53:55)

 

Answer: Yes. One of them has seen and been impressed by the Grey Flow systems.