Normally in the winter months, the rainy season in SoCal, I have the gray water diverer on the washer machine in the off position so it will empty to the sewer, not the garden. Southern California usually gets plenty of rain to take care of the landscape until late March or April. This year is the earliest we have had to switch back to using grey water, since first using it back in 2007. We have had next to nothing…
For a long time the greywater bin was hidden away behind perennials and was a family secret. There were strict laws in California prohibiting its use without special building permits. However, on August 4th, 2009, in response to growing concerns over our severe drought, the state Building Standards Commission voted to pass the new California greywater code (Chapter 16 in the CA Plumbing Code) which allows residents to dispel washing machine and shower greywater into their landscapes without needing a…