Summer can be a great time of year...unless you are trying to keep your lawn green.
Every year, summer temperatures seem to be getting a little higher and there doesn't seem to be as much rain as there used to be. The bright green lawn you worked so hard on in May may be brown by July. Even a lawn irrigation system isn't much help as more communities are imposing summer watering restrictions due to a lack of rainfall.
The solution to your summer lawn care watering problems may be running down the drains in your home's showers.
Gray Water for Summer Lawn Care
Gray water is classified as the water that has been used in all areas of your home other than your toilets. The water that runs down the drain while you are taking a shower is considered gray water, as is the water that drains down your kitchen sink.
Gray water is acceptable for watering lawns and flower gardens in many communities, but check to ensure it is approved in your area. There are various methods of reclaiming gray water for your summer lawn care purposes--they range from simply capturing the water as it drains to having a plumbing contractor install a holding tank with a filtering system.
There are a few considerations to keep in mind when using gray water for your summer lawn care, as pointed out by the University of Massachusetts and Colorado State University. Be sure to:
- Alternate lawn watering between gray and clean water
- Not use gray water on vegetable gardens or fruit trees
- Avoid using gray water from washing machines
Help your lawn go green with recycled gray water for your summer lawn care and flower garden watering needs.
Jeffrey Anderson has a Degree in English from V.M.I. and served as an officer in the Marine Corps. He worked in Residential and Commercial construction management for 25 years before retiring to write full time.
