INSTALLING A GREY WATER MARSH

When Nick arrived at Sky Hacienda as a volunteer he wanted to spearhead an eco project. Our grey water was being recycled in principal but not being purified, so we asked him if he would like to build a grey water marsh.   A couple of hours research on the internet gave him a clear picture of what to do.

Nick assembles the pipes leading from the Roundhouse.

Nick and Geronimo construct a filtering system to remove grease and debris from the kitchen waste water.

A pit is dug to channel the grey water and lined with plastic sheeting.  Brick baffles are installed to slow down the water flow as it passes through the gravel.

As the marsh is on a slope a dirt wall is created to keep the water moving in the right direction.

A type of small marsh bamboo is planted in the gravel to assist in the purification process.  We can also harvest this bamboo to make windbreakers and fencing.

Barrels are installed to hold the water and we run electricity to the site so that the water can be pumped out.

A view of the pipe leading from the Roundhouse, feeding grey water through the filter and into the marsh.  It then continues its journey to the barrels.

Soon the marsh bamboo is thriving with the constant flow of water through its roots.

We quickly begin to see the results of this purification process as we are able to dedicate the water to the 200+ trees we have planted to form a windbreak against the prevailing wind.

This is such a simple inexpensive process that is particularly useful for harvesting water in countries with long dry seasons.  At the same time, when water is becoming the world's most precious commodity, it is something that everyone with a piece of land should be considering.