Recycling sink water is becoming more commonplace

Q. I am trying to be as environmentally conscious and save some money. I thought I could reduce water usage by recycling greywater for my landscaping and lawn. Does this really save much overall?

A. Although water is not the most expensive commodity we use in our homes, it probably is the only one without which we cannot survive. Increasingly, many areas of the country, even ones near traditionally large water supplies, are experiencing water shortages during the summertime.

Recycling greywater can save a significant amount of water throughout the entire year. Before considering this though, check with your local health department or building/zoning codes. Some areas, and entire states, highly regulate greywater usage by homeowners. This will likely change in the near future, but don't invest any money in a system without first checking.

Even the definition of greywater varies from state to state. In general though, greywater refers to any drain water in a home that does not come from toilets (called black water). Some areas also include water from kitchen sinks and garbage disposers as black water. In the typical home, more than 20 gallons of greywater are produced per person per day.

Recycling greywater does not have to be complicated. I have vegetable and flower gardens. When I rinse the dirt off my hands in the laundry room sink, I do so over a bucket. I then pour the slightly muddy greywater over some water-loving plants, such as hydrangeas, in my shade garden.

Another simple greywater recycling technique is to capture the final rinse water from a clothes washer. I use a front-loading washer which uses very little water to start with. Just lift the drain pipe hook from the wall drain and hang it over a bucket. The final rinse water has very little soap residue in it. Obviously, don't do this if you are washing dirty diapers.

The other extreme is to install a fully automatic greywater system costing thousands of dollars. These are set up with holding tanks, electronic controls and piping throughout your landscaping. Most of these systems can be expanded as your watering needs increase or your budget opens up.

In between the two is an inexpensive Envirosink mini-basin with a short drainpipe beneath it. It is mounted next to the regular sink in your kitchen. When you rinse off vegetables and fruits over it, the water runs down into a jug or bucket underneath the sink.

Instead of using greywater for watering plants where it is not allowed, it can be used for the water to flush toilets. Automatic kits are available to catch the water from under the bathroom sink and feed it to the toilet tank. If there is not enough water, the regular water supply comes on.

The following companies offer greywater systems, components, kits and plans: Bismart Distributing, (888) 663-4950, www.envirosink.com; Clivus Multrum, (800) 425-4887, www.clivusmultrum.com; Nutricycle Systems, (301) 371-9172, www.nutricyclesystems.com; Oasis Design, (805) 967-9956, www.oasisdesign.net; and Rewater, (619) 421-9121, www.rewater.com.

Q. We have a problem during the summer with the concrete garage floor sweating. The dampness gets tracked indoors onto the kitchen floor. Should we install fans or a dehumidifier in the garage?

A. The garage floor sweats during summer because it is cooler than the air. Also the air during summer is usually much more humid. The combination of the two causes the condensation on the floor.

You would waste a lot of electricity trying to dehumidify the garage or running a fan. Just leave the garage door open a little as often as possible so the floor gradually warms up. Open a window if possible to increase the air flow.

• Write to James Dulley at 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.