We have connected our wastewater diverters yet. My plan is to dig a trench on alongside the vegetable garden on the uphill side and funnel the greywater into it.
I have attached a plan but I have no idea how to turn it, sorry it's upside down.
I have read a bit about greywater systems. There are constructed wetlands/reed beds. The thing is they are lined and what I want is that the
water filters through the reed and then into the vegetable garden, the overflow to fruit
trees. If at all I would line the bottom an bit with bentonite. But would the plants grow? Would that system work or would the water seep too deeply, there is only a slight slope between the reed bed and the vegetable garden. The systems I found on the net try to reduce the phosphate and nitrate, but both are fertilizers, so I am not after removing them. I would like to remove grease from the kitchen though - are there any easy methods? Salt is as well a concern and bath salt is then a big no no. (Epsom salts are benificial here but must be useds with caution I nearly killed a citrus by applying too much).
The second possibility is to let the water into a
swale.
What would be better?
Which plants would you use either for the swale or for the wetland?
I found a tank at the council cleanup which could be used for cooling down the washing machine water. Does the
hot water from the sink affect the plants?
I might simply put a very small outlet to this tank and hope that the water is cool
enough when passed through this small outlet, maybe 1 or even half of it.
Sorry, that was long!
Edited: another possibility would be a non leaking
pond were we would plant floating plants which could be scooped off as fertilizer. Maybe some other aquatics as decoration.
I think the main concern is to remove the grease and
soap that would change the ph of the soil. The plants
should be able to neutralize the alkalinity of the soap.