Plant Choices for Use with Greywater - WA State Department of Health

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plantchoices

Plant Choices for Greywater
Some times of the year, your plants may need more water than can be supplied by greywater irrigation. At other times of the year, your home may generate more greywater than your plants can use.

Some chemicals in, and characteristics of, greywater can be harmful to plants. For example, some studies have shown that greywater from kitchens that have dishwashers can be quite damaging to plants because of the very high pH (i.e. pH of 10). Few, if any, plants will survive very high pH.

For more detailed information, see the Water Conserving On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems RS&G

Plants that are Not Suitable for Irrigation with Greywater

Azaleas

Ferns

Magnolias

Begonias
Foxgloves
Oxalis (Wood Sorrel)

Bleeding Hearts
Gardenias
Primroses

Crape Myrtle

Holly

Redwoods

Deodar Celular

Hydrangeas
Rhododendrons

Dogwood

Impatiens
Violets

Plants that Might Tolerate Greywater Irrigation
(except greywater from kitchens with dishwashers)

Bearded Iris

Junipers

Rosemary

Burning Bush

Oaks

Roses

Cottonwood

Pine, Austrian

Russian Olive

(Many Native) Desert Plants

Pine, Italian Stone

Sage, Big Basin

Fringed Sage

Pine, Mugo

Sedum

Honeysuckle

Rabbit Brush
Sumac (staghorn)

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whypurpleemitterpipe

Why Purple for the Greywater Subsurface Irrigation Emitter Pipes?

For outdoor applications, if the greywater is delivered to a conventional drainfield there are no special color requirements.

But if the greywater is used for subsurface irrigation, the emitters must be colored purple to identify the non-potable water source.

Drawing of a purple subsurface irrigation emitter for greywater.

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greywaterresources

More Resources on Greywater:

Water Conservation and drought information is available at the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water website at:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/drought/droughthome.htm

For information about on-site wastewater treatment systems (septic systems), please visit the Washington State Department of Health, Wastewater Management Section web page at:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/ww/default.htm

Telephone: (360) 236-3062
E-mail: WastewaterMgmt@doh.wa.gov

The National Small Flows Clearinghouse provides information on small community and individual on-site sewage systems at:
http://www.nsfc.wvu.edu

If separating greywater from blackwater is a problem, you might want to consider using a Subsurface Drip System (a type of septic treatment system).

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