INTEGRATED SYSTEM. Applications: Features & Benefits: high-tech

GR E YWA T ER SY S T E MS hig h- tech I N TEGRATED SYST EM WaterSprout’s Integrated greywater system is a complete automated package delivering filter...
Author: Jemima Daniels
1 downloads 1 Views 494KB Size
GR E YWA T ER SY S T E MS hig h- tech I N TEGRATED SYST EM

WaterSprout’s Integrated greywater system is a complete automated package delivering filtered greywater to landscape drip irrigation. Our system is compatible with smart irrigation controllers and can be retrofitted into existing irrigation systems.

Applications: • Residential and commercial applications where low-maintenance and automated systems are required.

Greywater Mechanical

• Greywater is applied to landscape through sub-surface drip tubing to maximize irrigation efficiency. • Greywater systems qualify for LEED and Greenpoint rating systems.

Features & Benefits: •

Annual water savings average 40,000 gallons for a family of four. Multi-family and commercial buildings generate increased water and cost.



Automated backflushing of filters and municipal backup keep maintenance requirements low.



G reywater systems are integrated on projects as a design/build package by WaterSprout.



Includes WaterSprout’s “Basic” monitoring system & Water System Controller to provide an automated, low-maintenance system package.

• Annual maintenance contracts provided by WaterSprout

design | build | maintain

Greywater Irrigated Lawn

CA Lic.# 886119 www.WaterSprout.org

BASIC MONITORING SYSTEM What is Water-use Monitoring?

Water-use monitoring provides feedback data about how your greywater/rainwater system is performing. Water-use monitoring equipment (water meters, tank sensors, pressure sensors & advanced controller) comes standard on all our “Basic” & “Smart” systems and provides the following information: • Total gallons your greywater/rainwater system has saved since installed. • Total gallons of backup water used since the system was installed. • Current flow rate (gallon per minute) of the system when running. • Current tank levels as percentage full.

What does the Water Systems controller do?

The system controller provides complete automation, alarms and system control. Features include: • Scheduling the filtration system cleaning with pump run time and in the event of low pressure • Automatically pumps overflow water out of tank if no gravity overflow is present. • Allows the greywater/rainwater system to be bypassed during maintenance or repair. • Turning on backup water if greywater/rainwater pumps fail, low pressure alarms turn on, or if the tank level sensor wiring is faulty. • Turning off pumps if no water flow is detected to prevent damage to pumps. The basic monitoring includes a water meter which records total greywater / rainwater usage and total backup domestic water usage from the time the system is installed. The usage can be read out on the LCD screen of our Water Systems Controller. Below is a picture of the readout.

Water Systems Controller Interface:

design | build | maintain

CA Lic.# 886119 www.WaterSprout.org

GENERAL GREYWATER FAQ What is greywater? Greywater is water that drains from your bathroom sinks, showers, tubs and laundry. Water from toilets, kitchen sinks and dishwashers is considered blackwater and cannot be re-used. What can greywater be used for? Greywater can be used primarily to irrigate plants in the landscape. On larger projects (multi-family/ commercial/institutional) greywater can be used for toilets flushing, if treated with advanced filtration and disinfection. Is greywater safe? Greywater is safe! Greywater contains water, dirt and a multitude of biological inhabitants (bacteria, viruses, etc.) that live on our bodies and clothes. The majority of these biological inhabitants are beneficial, but pre-cautions should be taken to ensure that humans and animals do not come into direct contact with greywater, so as to avoid any potential health concerns. Greywater should always be applied to the landscape at least 2” below the soil surface, and should not be allowed to pool on the soil surface. Are greywater systems legal? Yes! Prior to 2009 greywater systems were illegal in most states. This is changing rapidly and many states have adopted building code regulations which legalize greywater systems. States which currently allow greywater systems are California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, Utah, Texas, Colorado and more. What soaps and other cleaning products can I use with a greywater system? Bio-degradable and non-toxic cleaning products should be used with greywater systems for irrigation use. Avoid products with a high salt (sodium) content and boron (borax), two common ingredients that are non-toxic to people but harmful to plants. Bar soaps can make greywater Alkaline, so use liquid soaps to maintain a neutral water pH. Anti-bacterial soaps should be avoided as they may kill beneficial soil bacteria. Liquid laundry detergents have less salt than powdered detergents. What plants can I irrigate with greywater? Most plants thrive in greywater, including most drought tolerant plants which like alkaline soils. Greywater tends to be alkaline (pH 7.5-9) so acid loving plants (rhododendrons, azaleas, etc.) may need additional supplements to maintain more acidic soil after many years of greywater irrigation.

design | build | maintain

CA Lic.# 886119 www.WaterSprout.org

INTEGRATED GREYWATER SYSTEM FAQ Why should I install an Integrated Greywater System? The Integrated Greywater System is a completely automated system delivering filtered greywater to landscape drip irrigation, with automatic city (or well) water backup. The system is compatible with all brands of irrigation controllers, operates the same as a traditional irrigation system, and is ideal for renovation or new home projects. How does the Integrated Greywater System work? Greywater from the laundry, showers and bathroom sinks drains to a below or above ground tank (250-300 gallons). When the irrigation controller starts watering, a submersible pump in the tank pumps the greywater through a filtration system before being dispersed into the landscape through drip irrigation tubing. If no greywater is available in the tank, the system automatically supplies city water to the drip tubing. The filtration system is automatically cleaned, so maintenance is required only once per year. How many plants/ what type of plants can I water? There is no limit to how many plants can be watered. However greywater cannot be used with spray irrigation and must be applied through sub-surface drip tubing. Please see our General Greywater FAQ for more information on types of plants. How much water will the system save? The average person produces 31 gallons per day from high efficiency showers, sinks and laundry. A typical family of 4 will produce 45,000 gallons of laundry water per year that can be used to water plants. How is greywater applied in the landscape? The greywater will be applied through sub-surface drip, with the drip lines (emitters) buried 2” minimum under soil or mulch, per code requirements. When applied sub-surface, the chances of humans coming into contact with the greywater is minimized. The greywater is just mechanically filtered to 100 micron size, and our system does not include any biological filtration or sterilization. I already have a drip irrigation system. Can I add on the Integrated Greywater System? Yes, in most cases. Some states (California) require that the drip tubing be buried 2” under soil or mulch so some additional work on the irrigation system may be required. Please refer to the Integrated Greywater System Manual for more information on interfacing with existing irrigation systems. I already have a drip irrigation system with some lawn spray valves. Can I add on the Integrated Greywater System? Maybe, with some additional work. Greywater cannot be sprayed through the air, so the lawn spray valves will need to be separated from the drip valves, and a new city water-only supply pipe installed to the spray valves. A new irrigation controller may also be needed. Upgrading to our Smart Greywater System allows up to (4) city water-only spray valves without re-plumbing the irrigation system piping. Please refer to the Integrated Greywater System Manual for more information on interfacing with existing irrigation systems. How much maintenance is needed? Very little! We recommend a general systems check once per year, the greywater tank bag filter be replaced once every 2 years, and the greywater tank sediment removed once every 3 years.

INTEGRATED GREYWATER SYSTEM FAQ Do I need a permit? Although some states allow “simple” systems to be installed without a permit (our Simple Greywater System, for example), you will most likely need a permit to install the Integrated Greywater System. What irrigation zones cannot be watered using greywater? Irrigation zones that cannot use greywater are the following: 1. Spray irrigation zones 2. Edible plants where the edible portions are below ground (carrots, turnips, etc). 3. Acid loving plants. (rhodys, azaleas, ect.) 4. Pots on hardscape patios 5. Green roofs which drain to a landscape drainage system. In general, greywater tends to be on the alkaline side of the PH scale. However most drought tolerant plants from the Mediterranean regions of the word grow in alkaline soils and will be fine with greywater How long can water be stored? There is no limit on how long greywater can be stored. In general the longer it is stored, the more “septic” it becomes. However, septic water does not present any problems for the equipment (pumps, valves, irrigation, etc.) used. Generally the irrigation controller is running at least once per week minimum, so the greywater is used shortly after it is produced. What detergents or other products like bleach can or cannot be used with the greywater system? See attached document for compatible greywater cleaning products.

GR E Y W A T E R S Y S T E M S C LEANING PRODU C T S

It is important to remember that whatever goes down your drain will end up in your soil. All cleaning products should be biodegradable and non-toxic. In addition, they should be free of salt (sodium) and boron (borax), two common ingredients that are non-toxic to people but are harmful to plants and/or the soil. Another consideration with cleaning and beauty products is their affect on the pH of the water. While many soaps do not change the pH, some do. In general, liquid soaps do not change the pH, while bar soaps make the water alkaline (opposite of acidic). Most drought tolerant plants are compatible with alkaline soils, but certain acid loving plants may not be happy with alkaline water. Acid loving plants include ferns, rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries and other woodland type plants. Shampoos and Conditioners: Typical shampoos and conditioners are fairly diluted and will not cause harm to soils and plants. Hand Soaps: Liquid soaps are preferable to bar soaps which can increase the alkalinity of greywater. Avoid anti-bacterial soaps as they will kill the beneficial soil bacteria and seriously degrade the biodiversity of the soil. General Cleaners: Choose products which are non-toxic and biodegradable. If caustic cleaners are used, turn the 3-way valve to divert the greywater to the sewer while in use. • Chlorine based bleaches: If used occasionally (less than once a month) diluted chlorine will not damage your soils or plants. • Non-Chlorine bleaches (hydrogen peroxide based): Hydrogen peroxide is an earth friendly product which breaks down into water and oxygen and is a great alternative to chlorine based bleaches for cleaning and laundry. • Anti-bacterial soaps: These should be avoided as they will kill the beneficial soil bacteria and seriously degrade the biodiversity of the soil. Laundry Detergents: It is important to choose a laundry detergent which has a low salt and boron content. Adding salt to your soil degrades the soil structure over time. In general liquid detergents contain much less salt than powdered detergents. Example brands recommended are Oasis Laundry Detergent (liquid), ECOS liquid detergent, Vaska, Trader Joes Liquid Detergent, Puretergent, and BioPac.

design | build | maintain

CA Lic.# 886119 www.WaterSprout.org