So, I was sent the first link via email and I just think it’s brilliant! This will save us tons of water while watering deep enough to keep the plants in the raised beds we’re going to build happy throughout our hot summers. The first one is for row crops:
http://thewrinkleddollar.com/garden/drip-irrigation.html
And this video lays out how to do this for raised beds!
This guy did this setup but for his containers:
I can’t believe I never made a post about water storage (unless I did and just can’t find it). I will include several links from various sources describing the various methods of water storage and how to ensure the safety of the water. Of everything we think we “need” to survive in the event of some sort of event, too many do not include water as their number 1 priority. It’s always food, shelter, clothing, etc. but with all of that, if we do not have access to water (either already clean or have the ability to clean it) we will not survive long enough to enjoy that food and the other supplies we have stored.
The first link I will share is to a water filter that looks like it is by far the best one out there. It’s to a forum (disclosure here) that I am a moderator/administrator for (you can view this post without being a member) and my dear friend has researched the heck out of this filter. It’s for the water filters made by www.justwater.me.
Survivalistssite Forum: Water filter comparison
There are other links/discussions on the survivalistssite forum discussing water treatment options. Please check them out.
And here’s how to make a *Home Made Berkey Water Filter* which is helpful for those people like me (if there are any others out there because California is so whacky) who are unable to purchase the Big Berkeys due to state regulations. I don’t see why, if you account for flow rate, this setup can’t be used for other brands of large water filters.
Here’s an article from the CDC:
Personal Preparation and Storage of Safe Water
Here’s a simple article from the University of Colorado Extension:
And here’s an even more basic article from the LDS church:
Now, for cisterns, which I think is ultimately be best way to go, if you have the space for them:
This first article is from the University of Florida extension (there’s a link to a .pdf of this article on the upper left side of their web page):
Cisterns To Collect Non-Potable Water For Domestic Use
And this one, by far, is my favorite, since I truly love Mother Earth News:
So, if you haven’t already begun you water storage project, you have some reading to do. It’s never too late to get started, even if the positive results may not be seen this year (since I do not expect California to get anywhere near the rain that is needed this year).
Here is my post from 2008 on Greywater usage.
>Here’s another item submitted to Preparedsurvivalistsunite2:
http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_m/m-106.html
Revised by Marsha Duttle, Extension Research Assistant
Greywater is water that has been used for washing dishes, laundering clothes, or bathing. Essentially, any water, other than toilet wastes, draining from a household is greywater. Although this used water may contain grease, food particles, hair, and any number of other impurities, it may still be suitable for reuse. Reusing greywater serves two purposes: it reduces the amount of freshwater needed to supply a household, and reduces the amount of waste water entering sewer or septic systems.
The New Mexico Environment Department and the Construction Industries Division govern liquid waste disposal in New Mexico, and issue permits for approved systems. Greywater use is restricted by the Liquid Waste Disposal Regulations (LWDR), but the Environment Department can grant a variance if the applicant shows that:
Note: Be sure to obtain all necessary permits before installing a greywater system.
The amount and quality of greywater will in part determine how it can be reused. Irrigation and toilet flushing are two common uses, but nearly any non-contact use is a possibility.
Greywater is suitable for irrigating lawns, trees, ornamentals, and food crops. Though irrigation methods in greenhouses may differ greatly from outdoor irrigation, several guidelines for use of greywater apply to both situations.
In addition, when irrigating outdoors, apply greywater only to flat areas where runoff is not likely. A cloth bag attached to the end of the hose will help distribute water and also act as an additional filter. The filter will need to be removed and cleaned periodically (every three or four days).
In arid areas where dry grass or brush pose a fire hazard, homeowners may wish to plant a firebreak or “greenbelt” of a selected high-moisture species. Greywater is ideal for irrigating firebreaks, because it contributes plant nutrients in the process.
Remember that in most areas outdoor irrigation is a seasonal use for greywater, but greywater is produced throughout the year. If reverting to sewer or septic systems during the winter is not feasible, find uses that are possible during all seasons.
Toilet flushing can use considerable amounts of greywater, as it normally accounts for up to 50% of indoor water use. Poor quality greywater is not a problem if it is used to flush toilets, because the water goes into the sewer or septic system where it would have gone had it not been reused. Greywater should be pumped into the toilet bowl for flushing. DO NOT put greywater into the toilet tank. Greywater in the tank may not only cause the flushing mechanism to malfunction, but could be backsiphoned into the fresh water supply if water pressure decreases suddenly.
Lagoons or ponds containing greywater can grow algae to feed fish in a separate pond, or provide food for ducks and other waterfowl. Removal of the algae is necessary to keep the system aerobic and prevent foul odors. Ponds are often lined with concrete, stone, or plastic to prevent leakage. This method is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to recycle water, but requires some expertise to site and construct the lagoons.
With an automatic clothes washer, the wash water from a lightly soiled load, or rinse water, can be saved to wash the next load. When reusing laundry water for irrigation, do not use liquid fabric softener or detergents including softener (use softener sheets in the dryer instead). Water should not be reused if the laundry includes diapers. Wash water containing gasoline, diesel, or similar pollutants, should not be used for purposes other than flushing.
Untreated greywater should not be kept for longer than one day, but adding two tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of water will extend storage time somewhat. Try to use greywater the day it is collected or the high bacteria count will cause objectionable odors.
Observe these precautions when using untreated greywater:
Investing time and equipment in a system designed to filter, store, and possibly disinfect greywater may make water reuse a more convenient practice. Some questions to answer before building a treatment system are:
Answering these questions will help you decide what type and size of system to install. Because greywater treatment systems are not much in demand, you may have to design and build a system to meet your own specifications and needs. Options to consider for greywater treatment include settling tanks, disinfectants and filters.
Figure 1. Water-quality characteristics of selected domestic wastewater. (Figure has been modified from its original version in order to be html programmed. Please see PDF file or contact NMSU Agricultural Communications for the original hard copy.) ________________________________________________________________________________________
Water Source Characteristics
________________________________________________________________________________________
Automatic Clothes Washer Bleach, Foam, High pH,
Hot water, Nitrate, Oil and
Grease, Oxygen demand,
Phosphate, Salinity, Soaps,
Sodium, Suspended solids,
and Turbidity
Automatic Dish Washer Bacteria, Foam, Food particles,
High pH, Hot water, Odor,
Oil and grease, Organic matter,
Oxygen demand, Salinity, Soaps,
Suspended solids, and Turbidity
Bath tub and shower Bacteria, Hair, Hot water, Odor,
Oil and grease, Oxygen demand,
Soaps, Suspended solids, and
Turbidity
Evaporative Cooler Salinity
Sinks, including kitchen Bacteria, Food particles, Hot water,
Odor, Oil and grease, Organic matter,
Oxygen demand, Soaps, Suspended
solids, and Turbidity
Swimming Pool Chlorine, and Salinity
_________________________________________________________________________________________
In a settling tank, solids and large particles will settle to the bottom, while grease, oils, and small particles will float. The remaining liquid will be reused. A settling tank also allows hot water to cool before reuse. The tank should be large enough to hold twice the expected dally flow plus 40 percent, to allow for sludge accumulation and surge loading. One type of settling tank well-suited for greywater treatment is a septic tank. A septic tank is specifically designed to allow settling, but do not confuse the use of a septic tank to treat greywater with the conventional use of a septic tank. Greywater intended for reuse should NEVER be mixed with toilet wastes.
Greywater coming out of a septic tank contains little or no oxygen. Greywater from an aerobic tank will contain more oxygen, which is better for irrigation purposes. An electrical pump or aerator added to a septic tank can create an aerobic environment. Aerobic conditions allow some decomposition of wastes in the tank, and may help minimize sludge buildup and blockages in the system. Both aerobic and septic tanks will need to be pumped Out every three to five years.
Several types of tanks may be suitable for settling or storage of greywater. In addition to metal, polyethylene, fiberglass or wooden tanks that are commonly used, consider using plastic garbage cans, 55-gallon dims, portable swimming pools, or waterbed mattresses.
Two chemicals used to disinfect water are chlorine and iodine, with chlorine being more common. Not only is it readily available (as household liquid bleach or at swimming pool supply houses) and relatively inexpensive, but it is stable in storage and will, in time, vaporize from the water after disinfection. Organic material in greywater may combine with chlorine, and reduce the amount available for disinfection. For this reason, a filter or settling tank before the disinfection point may be advisable.
Iodine is less affected by organic material, persists longer, and may be more effective at the high pH of greywater. Iodine is also fast-acting, requiring no more than two minutes to kill most pathogens.
Several devices are available commercially that dispense appropriate amounts of iodine or chlorine (in solid or liquid form) to a water system. Check with swimming pool supply houses or water treatment companies.
The type of filter required for a greywater system depends largely upon the amount of greywater to be filtered and the type of contaminants present. A drain filter is an easy and inexpensive way to filter lint and hair Out of bath or laundry water. A simple cloth bag tied over the end of a hose or pipe may be sufficient for irrigating outdoors or similar applications.
Many types of commercial water filters are available. Most use an activated charcoal, cellulose, or ceramic cartridge that must be cleaned or replaced regularly. Before buying a filter, determine whether it is a gravity filter (for low volumes) or a pressure filter (for flow rates greater than 20 gallons per minute). Also consider the frequency, cost, and ease of maintenance.
Slow sand or multi-media filters are usually built by the homeowner. These gravity filters may be constructed in a 55-gallon drum or similar container that is of suitable size. Features that should be part of a filter include a perforated plate or some other device to distribute water evenly over the top, a concrete funnel in the bottom to help water drain to the perforated drain pipe, and a cover and vent to prevent odors. Fill the bottom of the filter with stones that are too large to enter the drain pipe.
Slow sand filters are shallow layers of stone, medium gravel, and pea gravel beneath a deep layer of sand (see figure 2). A slow sand filter will treat approximately 0.05 to 0.13 gallons per minute per square foot of surface area.
Multi-media filters are filled with a variety of media in order of increasing size, for example, fine sand, coarse sand, gravel, stone, and wood chips, to a total depth of 2 1/2 to 3 feet (see figure 3).
NOTE: Figures 2 and 3 are not available. Please see PDF file or contact NMSU Agricultural Communications for a hard copy.
Slow sand filters require regular cleaning and replacement of the top layer of media. Multi-media filters require less frequent cleaning, but all layers must be cleaned or replaced when maintenance is required. Routing greywater through a settling tank before filtering reduces contaminant load and can lengthen the interval between cleanings.
Figure 4. Treatment for water-quality variables (Figure 4 has been modified from its original version in order to be html programmed. Please see PDF file or contact NMSU Agricultural Communications for the original hard copy.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Treatment Variable
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Aeration Odor, Organic matter, Oxygen
demand, and pH
Alum Soaps, and Turbidity
Carbon filtration Odor
Chlorination Bacteria, and Odor
Crop filtration Bacteria, Food particles, Suspended
solids, and Turbidity
Crop uptake Nitrate, Phosphate, Soaps,
and Sodium
Dilution Hot water, Nitrate, pH, Phosphate,
Salinity, and Sodium
Filtration Food particles, Oil and grease,
Organic matter, Soaps, Suspended
solids, and Turbidity
Flotation Oil and grease
Hydrogen peroxide Bacteria, and Odor
Lime Bacteria, Odor, and Sodium
Settling Foam, Food particles, Hot water,
Organic matter, Oxygen demand,
and Suspended solids
Soil filtration Bacteria, Bleach, Chlorine, Foam,
Food particles, Organic matter, Oxygen
demand, Suspended solids, and Turbidity
Soil uptake Nitrate, Phosphate, Soaps, and Sodium
Storage Foam, Food particles, Hot water, Organic
matter, Oxygen demand, pH, and
Suspended solids
(Figures 1 and 4 reprinted from Water and Wastes Engineering with the permission of Scranton-Gillette Communications, Inc.)
New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affimative action employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And here is an article from the University of Florida Extension explaining how to build a cistern for non-potable water:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae029
