Dishes, baths, beyond...Can you grow colourful flowers from 'grey water'?

Thursday 15 June 2023

A local environmental expert is encouraging Islanders to re-use their 'grey water' from baths, washing dishes and even pasta cooking to save water and funds.

Jersey Water, meanwhile, has urged Islanders to remain cautious about their water use going into summer.

Sheena Brockie, founder of local sustainability business The Good Jersey Life, said siphoning was "surprisingly simple".

 "All you need to do is to attach your hose to your bath tap and the other end under the surface in a water butt. Then, turn the tap on to flush all the air out of the hose, quickly take the hose off with your hand over the end and submerge in the bathwater."

She said it can also work for dishwater, pasta water, washing machine excess water (if not plugged in at the wall) and more.

"However, while it's fine for flowerpots and trees, don't use this trick for vegetable patches. There are slight concerns that pathogens from your body can enter the water and then potentially pollute plants. It's fine for anything you're not planning to eat."

She further recommended that if using dish water, Islanders should "scrape all the food off your plate before washing it, or sieve the water, to avoid lumps in flowerpots."

"It's a really sensible thing to do. The climate emergency means we're going to have to adapt and use less water, plus the cost-of-living is a squeeze."

"This way, you're re-using water for your garden that you've already paid for and not water that has gone through a lengthy treatment cycle to reach your hose. It makes sense to use water sparingly and make use of what we already have."

Her final recommendations include watering grass in the evening "so that water has a chance to soak in before the sun evaporates it" and cover the soil around plants with mulch (leaves, woodchip, etcetera) to help water stay in the soil.

Pictured: Jersey's reservoirs have only a 120-day supply when full, and last year the Island saw a hosepipe ban at the end of summer.

Mark Bowden, Asset Manager at Jersey Water, said that reservoirs are currently about 93% full, "which is a relatively strong position for this time of year and in line with the long-term average."

"However, we would caution that levels were the same at this time last year, and the summer ended in a hosepipe ban after months without rain. While we currently don't foresee having to impose restrictions this year, we will be keeping a very close eye on our reservoir levels as the summer progresses."

"We remind customers to be careful with their water use and not to waste it. Jersey is always vulnerable to drought due to our lack of reservoir storage, just 120 days' supply when they are full. A lot of people making small changes to their water use habits can make a real difference, so only use what you really need."