This past Saturday, May 31, 2008, the first gallons of recycled water entered the Sebatopol Energy Garden water system that before then had only circulated captured rain water. The recylced water, also called grey water was not plumbed from the house at 327 Murphy Avenue due to pending permission, however we were able to divert the drainage of our outdoor spray table and hand washing sink without violating any legal limitations.

The system was designed such that the drainage of the sink first falls directly into a gravel filled tank (30 gallons) planted with unicorn juncus, pennywort, and water parsley. This tank funtions as a filter and primary treatment for any debris From there, that water which isnt retained within the system flows into a second larger tank (150 gallons) which houses a larger community of wetland plants. The reason for using a second is to provide a longer retention time and thus a longer phytoremediation period for the recylced grey water. When more water is added to the first tank, the water that it contains will overflow into the second tank and all overflow is then plumbed at a 2% drop in grade to the previously existing  water treatment system.

To help in the installation of the system was Heather Shepherd who led along with myself a hands on grey water workshop. The day began with an explanation of the steps involved in designing a site specific grey water system, and followed with an analysis of the process that had gone into designing and constructing the system at the Sebastopol Energy Garden. We had the class go under the house to look at the piping and explained the legal requirements to plumb from the house's outward pipes into a grey water system and leach field.

For the later part of the day we were busy putting tanks in, filling them with gravel and plants, and plumbing them into the system. Whereas most courses offer the theoretical process of installing a grey water system, we had the rare oppurtunity to actually lead a group through the installation process kinestetically.

I would like to thank everyone that came, especially Heather. It was a warm day and within 6 hours we were able to install the two tanks, trench all the pipes, and connect the system. It is running now as I write this and I will no longer have to worry about the system going dry or having to fill it from the hose, because all vegetable washing and hand washing water will flow into the system to keep it full of water and provide nutrients for the plants growing within the tanks.