Expert Sees Risks in Grey Water

Just as Georgians are turning to a relatively simple way to save water inside the home, a prominent UGA professor issues a warning -- that grey water, household waste water excluding water from the toilet, the dishwasher and the kitchen sink, can be harmful.

It's a simple way to save: re-use the water from your shower, or your bathroom sink, or your washing machine on your plants and trees. University of Georgia hydrologist Dr. Todd Rasmussen said he has a problem with that.

?There?s always a risk to public health from blood, from fecal material, as well as from meat products that would have some kind of pathogenic contribution to it," Rasmussen said.

Others are not quite ready to throw the bathwater out with the bathwater.

?Well, grey water certainly has its place in conserving potable water use inside of a household," said Bryan Wagoner of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. "And it can be a significant amount of water savings, if it's done properly."

An average home can realize huge water savings with a grey water system installed by a licensed plumber.

?With proper disinfection and backflow prevention devices," explained the GAWP?s Wagoner. "(It) can save an average household up to 250 gallons a week just by using washing machine and bath water."

And you can still use grey water without a professionally installed system.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division said that collecting grey water this way -- from a shower for instance -- is not likely to be harmful because of contamination or bacteria. The people who are collecting it and using it are the same people who are generating it. Your water is not likely to hurt you.

According to the Georgia Association of Water Professionals, there are no documented cases of illness from a properly installed grey water system. Before installing one in your house, be sure to check with your county health department.

To be safe, if you are collecting grey water and not using it the same day, put in a few drops of bleach. The bleach will kill the germs, the water will be fine for your plants, and you won't have to toss anything out with the bathwater.