Our previous blog discussed some of the choices to get water into your tiny home. But, how do you handle getting rid of your waste water? First, take into account the difference between black water and grey water. Black water is the sewer waste from your toilet, while grey water is from other uses (i.e., showers, sinks, washing machines, etc.). Most areas have strict regulations on the disposal of waste water, so check with your local state and county offices for the necessary guidelines. Now, let’s talk about getting grey water out of your tiny home.
Disposal of Grey Water – Grey water contains soap, bacteria, food and grease, household cleaning products, and anything else we put down our sink drains. Although clean enough to reuse for watering shrubs and plants, grey water cannot be drained into lakes, streams or ponds. Plants can filter and break down the components in grey water, but draining into fresh water can pollute the water and harm fish and wildlife. Here are some ways to properly dispose of your grey water.
- Hooking into a public sewer system is the simple way to deal with grey water. If you plan to keep your tiny home stationary, this can be the perfect choice for you.
- The next simplest plan is placing a container under your sink and shower drain to catch the grey water. Then it can manually be emptied onto surrounding trees, shrubs and plants.
- You can also set up a water tank that catches grey water then slowly drains from a hose in the bottom of the tank. The tank will need to be slightly elevated to help with drainage.
- The tank system can also be turned into a longer irrigation system if you plan for a permanent tiny home location. By using multiple lengths of hose you can have a system that drains the water between several planting beds.
Some really like the idea of tiny home living. But in order to do it right, and prevent problems later on, you need to give the proper attention to the big areas like plumbing. Our next blog is going to finish out your tiny home plumbing with finding the best ways to deal with Black Water.
Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!
