Water conservation
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Water conservation is an important concern in many parts of the country and so technology for recycling water is expanding. It is estimated that homeowners waste an average of 33 percent of the available drinking water every day, using it for landscape irrigation (Coder, 2001). Slightly used water is known as gray water, and can be used as a landscaping and agricultural water supply, and also for flushing toilets. It is not safe to drink gray water (Jett, 2001). Across America, toilet flushing and landscape watering are the major home uses of drinkable water. Black water, water from sewage, cannot be used for these purposes. In 1992, the Los Angeles Office of Water Reclamation looked at using gray water for irrigating gardens and found there was no greater health risk associated with the use of below-ground gray water irrigation than with conventional watering methods (Hefger, 1993). They evaluated a pilot gray water program undertaken by the city which was later extended to the state and noted that the water savings potential of a gray water system to an individual home could be as much as 50 percent of all the water used. It is estimated that a family of four, producing 1,652 gallons of gray water per week will produce enough water to irrigate a yard consisting of 900 square feet of lawn, 10 mature fruit trees, nine large shade trees and 15 large shrubs. Gray water can be used a second time (Coder, 2001). It includes water from sinks (but not t
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rden atmosphere, it is unlikely they would be assimilated by the roots and transported to the edible portion of food plants. However, caution is recommended when using gray water.
To get the gray water to the garden, it can simply be carried in buckets, or siphoned from a bathtub or basin to the garden through a hose (Using Grey Water, 1999). If the washing machine discharges into a utility sink which is above ground level, it may be possibly to discharge it to the garden by gravity feed. It is also possible to make modifications to the existing plumbing system to divert gray water from the house through a sand or gravel filter in the garden and into a holding tank.
Gray Water and Landscaping
Gray water use by homeowners should be tailored to their particular needs (Using Grey water, 1999). Because of the health hazards associated with storing gray water, only as much gray water as can be reasonably used for irrigation should be collected and the rest released into the sewer or septic tank system. One rule to follow says a square foot of loamy garden soil which is rich in organic matter is capable of handling one half gallon of gray water each week. Lighter sandy soils require more water and clay soils require less.
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Approximate Word count = 2693
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)
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