> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-extropians@extropy.org
> [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.org]On Behalf Of Dehede011@aol.com
>
> In a message dated 8/2/00 12:13:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> altamira@ecpi.com writes:<< the greywater system; >>
>
> Could you explain briefly what greywater is?
>
> Ron H.
Greywater is used household water containing limited amounts of waste
products. My city system included water from the washing machine, the
bathtub, the lavatory, and the kitchen sink. Many people would eliminate
the kitchen sink, but in my case most food waste went to feed the chickens
or the compost pile rather than down the drain. Since I was living in a city
where such systems were against city ordinances, I had to conceal it so I
ran the water into a small pond covered with water hyacinths. This turned
out to be an interesting experiment. As long as I was careful not to put
anything toxic down the drains, the pond had no odor. It was a gathering
place for frogs and toads, who took care of any mesquito larvae which
happened to hatch in the pond. But whenever I used a toxic cleaning
product, the pond would take on a foul odor. It was reassuring to see how
quickly the system would get back into sweet-smelling balance, with no
effort on my part. The pond was partly inside a greenhouse attached to the
southern side of the house (I'm in the northern hemisphere) and helped to
stabilize the temperature and maintain high humidity during the winter.
At my present house I run used water from the bathtub into a basin in which
I grow banana trees and other water-loving plants. Water from the kitchen
sink goes into a high-carbon compost pile.
Bonnie
>
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