Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: (fwd) Grey Water

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Robyn Francis <permed@nor.com.au>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: (fwd) Grey Water
  • Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 22:59:27 +1100


I have Council approved reed bed treatment systems here at Djanbung Gardens
one is for grey water
The grey water goes through a simple grease trap then into the reed beds -
ferrous
cement beds 500mm deep filled with
12-15mm gravel planted with Phragmites Australis (2m2 per person surface area
is
acceptable to health authorities. The treated water goes into an open holding
pond
planted with water lilies, iris and other aquatic plants
Southern Cross University, Lismore has further info

Robyn Francis


lflondon@mindspring.com wrote:

> On Sun, 11 Feb 2001 12:38:30 +1100, in alt.permaculture "Paul"
> <tnt@apex.net.au> wrote:
>
> Hi all.
>
> I live in Canberra Australia, and want to use sand traps, reed beds
> etc to
> have a large water feature in our yard. I envisage using grey water
> from
> the shower, bath basin and washing machine. I am not sure what sort
> of
> primary filters etc to use. I do not want to use toilet or dish
> washing
> water.
>
> I would like several ponds cascading down our back yard with a pump to
> feed
> back to the top. I will have an over flow which will allow excess to
> flow
> into the stormwater or sewer, when the system is replenished by water
> from
> the house.
>
> Has anyone had any experience with one of these, and what problems did
> they
> have, especially with the authorities? The water people here are
> pretty
> good but I haven't approached them yet, as I would like to go in with
> some
> decent plans and ideas.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Paul
>
> <><><><>
> <><><><>
>
> On 11 Feb 2001 20:18:16 +1000, in alt.permaculture dmoss@mydeja.com
> (David Moss) wrote:
>
> tnt@apex.net.au (Paul) wrote in <981855363.171581@draal2.apex.net.au>:
>
> >I would like several ponds cascading down our back yard with a pump to
> >feed back to the top. I will have an over flow which will allow excess
> >to flow into the stormwater or sewer, when the system is replenished by
> >water from the house.
>
> If you are going to use wastewater of any kind I can't see them
> letting you
> connect it to stormwater.
>
> If you are going to use rainwater of any kind I can't see them letting
> you
> connect it to sewage.
>
> In the former case you would end up raising the biochemical oxygen
> demand
> of whatever river or stream the stormwater ends up in, even if you
> just use
> washing and showering waste.
>
> In the second, if everyone added stormwater to the sewage the system
> would
> not cope and it would end up raising the BOD of the Molongalo and
> Murrumbidgee Rivers.
>
> BTW I suggest you take a geko at a tertiery treatment pond in a sewage
> works before you go ahead with this idea. I did a tour as part of
> Engineering Science at DDIAE some years back. The secondary treatment
> pond
> looked much like any lake you see around here, fairly clear water,
> fish,
> waterbirds and frogs etc. Then they filtered it into another pond and
> bubbled air through it. What a mess! They sell the brown crap that
> precipitates out on day 2 as feritliser and burn the gas thats given
> off to
> generate power.
>
> I wish you luck, what you propose would probably work well with a bit
> of
> land. See that the Mt Stromlo Obsevatory do with their grey waste for
> an
> example. In the suburbs though, I don't know.
>
> David Moss
> personal opinion only
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to permaculture as: permed@nor.com.au
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu
> Get the list FAQ at:
> http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/documents/permaculture.faq







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page