Grey Water to wash 4x4?

Hi there Leroy, I use a pair of my wife's old stocking over the end of the the outlet hose from the washing machine to catch any finer lint, then I have an inline filter after the pump just to make sure had no blockage problems, that's using either the hose which you wouldn't have to worry about but I also have a Karcher Gurnie that I use and have had no problems. Regards Steve

could you build a small sump/filter inside the drum on the inlet side of the drum using the stockings to block the lint getting in there yet allowing the water to get in.. then the drum would be 'clean' remove the sump to clean crap out...

Hi there Truckster, yeah probably could but I have the stocking over the pipe thats delivering the water to the drum and I just remove and replace when it get full of lint. Does get a bit of crap on the very bottom of the drum but I have the outlet about 1 inch up from the bottom. Our washing machine latest model hoover doesn't have a lint filter in the machine just throws it out with the wash water, The only reason I have put the filter after the pump (which is only like the ones you use for your gardening undergroung watering systems ($10) at bunnings) so that incase the filter does block it wont stuff the pump up.It was just a quick set up to try and save the water. 200L drum from work, unfortunately had to pay for the 10 metre extesion hose(ah well can't get every thing on the cheap)Scored the pump for a couple of cases of grog. It's the type they use on farms that pump the water up from the dams about $800 new. I can run my 7 pop ups in the front garden and can empty a 200L drum in about 3 and a half minutes.Take Care Vitara

And by the way I have the greenest lawn in the street all from washing water my water bill has dopped by $70 a quarter. Shows how much I use to pump /waste on my lawns. Forgot to say that on a large wash 6 and half kilo machine it pumps out 180 litres of water each wash including rinse. How many loads do the average family do a week. Thats a lot of water.

wholey bleep , I didnt realise it was that much water!

Been meaning to look into the grey water thing for a while now, might extract the digit now..

Yeah s@it loads of water, My neighbour is in the process of doing the same thing as there is six in his family They have a 10 kilo washer so you could imagine his water usage, there line is full everyday he trying to get hold of an IBC which is those big 1000L plastic tanks you see with a crate on the bottom for forklift use. Before the water restictions you could find them anywhere now they want anything from $$150 onwards. You can buy them new for about $350.Take Care vitara

Have to do the same. 6 in our family , and probably a minimum of 1 load a day , and most cases 2.

Problem is getting the water from the Laundry to the garden

If your on a down hill run it's ok I have my'n going out through the laundry window (window locked with a lock in the open position about an inch) cut a small hole in the flyscreen same size as hose as said my'n only goes into a 200l drum the washing machine pump, pumps it out no problems about 8 meters in total so I just duck outside and turn the pump on for 3 and a half minutes and it's ready for the next load. I think for a Bigger washing machine a bigger tank would be the way to go that's if you want it set up that way. I was lucky as when I did the landscaping originally I set up all the underground sprinklers/pop ups and ran the black hose up the side of the house to the back tap with a timer on it. Set the time and leave. Reason I sent it to the back so no light fingered person would flog my timers from the front, other wise if your on a down hill run just let it lay on the lawn will just have to move it aroung a bit that's all,I'm a bit fussy and didn't want the black hose running across the lawn, Looks untidy especially at the front of the house. My neighbour has to drill a hole through his internal wall and external brick wall as he has no window only a door. Take Care Vitara

My problem is that now that we have an extension on the house , the Laundry is almost in the middle of the house. No where to run a hose.

Have to route it under the house somehow , and its a tight fit under there.

Hi there Flappa, Unless you have a good down hill run from under the house without going to big expense sounds like you might be in a no win situation. Unless you can get under the house and put in a diversion valve so you can send the water across to another area where you could have a pit type set up with an internal water pump with a float on it which will activate so the pump will come on automatically and send the water to your sprinklers or like my'n you will have to go and turn on yourself, sounds like more trouble than it's worth unless you know some one in the game, as they say it's not what you know it's who you know. Take Care Vitara, Ps it can be done.

I would like to be able to collect it , and use it as I need , but , that may be difficult. Worst case , I dump it all onto the lawn (or what there is of it).

What I'm looking at is , 2 seperate drain pipes on the Laundry tub.

One, main one , drains as per normal , but , the 2nd one , connected to a grey water pipe that drains to the backyard.

If its then raining , I have the option of where to send the waste water. Yeah, ok , its not getting saved , but then , we haven't been getting a lot of rain either.

Seperate Rain water tank is going to be installed anyway.

Im also interested in Bath and Shower water if that can be reused easily enough.

But by the sound of it, you could end up overwatering the garden!

Thats where you need the option T.

To use it when you want to , and then either store it , or , say a week of good rain , direct it back into the drain like normal.

Laundry would be easy enough , just a matter of where you stick the hose from the machine . . . drain or grey water hose.

Not so easy for showers/bath. Need to setup a diverter , would mean a plumber being involved.

Id probably have to get a plumber anyway, the only places to put a tank for me are above the shower/washing machine :( and pump it up there somehow..

those Gov Rebates still happening?

Don't know T ?

I know there are Tank rebates here in the ACT , but , there are restrictions to it , and at the end , hardly worth it.

As flappa said it is hardly worth it Yes rebates still available in sydney NSW. I wanted to put 1 in when the house was built but hey guess what council said no to my application. Don't require one was the response typical but now they beg you to put 1 in and yes the price now for a tank is a shiiit load more than 7years ago,why cause now people want them. But I'm not buying 1. Got me own might not look as good but does the same job A bigger size would be better but hey I just go and turn on the pump more often. Take Care Vitara

Not sure of other places , but around here , you can get the rebate on the tank , but ,in order to get the rebate , you must have it hooked back into the house for flushing loos etc , so you need pumps , fittings etc.

Costs more then the rebate.

If you want a tank , you just buy it.

Lads,
Have high block house, run bath-shower to back yard via hose.
Wash water hooked up to hose doing both back, side and front yard.
Don't wash 4x4 ( too lazy). Besides looks don't make it go better.
Probably all illegal at present but saving on heaps of water.
Cheers,
Bros.

Yeah it is illegal , but , under current conditions , most Govts turn a blind eye to reusing water UNLESS it starts causing problems (run off to neighbours yard etc).

I certainly wouldn't be concerned over it.