Funny, I’ve had the opposite experience—greywater’s always been more work for me, mostly because of lint traps and making sure nothing clogs up. Rainwater tanks, though, yeah, algae’s a pain if you don’t cover ’em. Ever tried those floating chlorine tablets? They help a bit, but I’m never sure if they’re overkill for garden use. Codes are weird too... around here, you need a permit just to run a pipe outside for greywater, but nobody blinks at a giant rain barrel. Go figure.
Rainwater tanks are definitely less hassle for me too, but I totally get what you mean about algae. I tried those floating chlorine tablets once—just tossed one in the tank and hoped for the best. The water stayed clearer, but I started worrying about what that might do to my tomatoes. Ended up switching to a dark tarp over the tank instead. Not the prettiest look, but it keeps the sun out and the green stuff down.
Greywater’s a whole other beast. I set up a basic laundry-to-landscape system last year, thinking it’d be a quick weekend project. Ended up spending more time than I care to admit fishing out lint and hair from the diverter box. The lint trap clogged up so fast, I had to rig up a homemade filter with an old nylon stocking. It works, but it’s not exactly “set and forget.” I hear some folks use mesh bags or even pantyhose for the same reason, but it always feels like a temporary fix.
The code stuff is wild, right? Where I am, you can have as many rain barrels as you want, but the second you mention greywater, it’s like you’re building a nuclear reactor in your backyard. I had to fill out a stack of paperwork just to run a pipe from my washing machine to the garden. Meanwhile, my neighbor’s got three 300-gallon tanks lined up along the fence and nobody bats an eye.
Funny thing is, I’ve had fewer leaks and emergency calls from rainwater setups than greywater ones. Maybe it’s just the moving parts and all the little bits that can go wrong with greywater. Or maybe I’m just cursed with lint. Either way, I keep a snake handy just in case something backs up. Never a dull moment.
Definitely hear you on the code headaches. I’ve had city inspectors show up just because a tenant mentioned “greywater” in passing—meanwhile, rain barrels go totally unnoticed. I’ve had more issues with greywater backups than anything else, and that’s after triple-checking every connection. Honestly, for rentals, I stick to rainwater—less maintenance, fewer calls in the middle of the night, and way fewer surprises. If something leaks, it’s usually just a loose fitting, not a full-on biohazard... Learned that one the hard way.
If something leaks, it’s usually just a loose fitting, not a full-on biohazard... Learned that one the hard way.
That’s exactly my worry with greywater—one clog and suddenly you’re dealing with way more than just water. Have you noticed any insurance issues with rainwater setups? I keep wondering if there’s some hidden catch I’m missing.
Rainwater setups are usually a lot less hassle than greywater, at least from what I’ve seen. Insurance companies tend to care more about backflow and contamination with greywater systems—if you’re not up to code or there’s a cross-connection, that’s where they get nervous. With rainwater, as long as you’re not connecting it to your potable supply, most insurers don’t bat an eye.
That said, I wouldn’t say rainwater is risk-free. You still have to watch for overflow, freezing pipes, and the occasional mosquito breeding ground if you’re not careful with your storage tanks. But compared to greywater? Way fewer headaches.
About this:
—I’ve seen that happen with poorly designed greywater lines. If you keep the system simple and use proper filters, it’s manageable, but yeah, it’s not as forgiving as rainwater harvesting.one clog and suddenly you’re dealing with way more than just water
Honestly, if insurance is your main concern, rainwater’s the safer bet. Just make sure your setup’s legal in your area—some places still have weird restrictions on collecting rain.
