green plumbing showdown: greywater recycling vs rainwater harvesting

Tried one of those self-cleaning filters last year on my rainwater barrel. Honestly, it did cut down on the gunk at first, but after a few months, the mechanism started sticking. Ended up having to take it apart anyway, which was more hassle than just rinsing a regular filter. Maybe I got a dud, but I’m not convinced they’re worth the extra cost or maintenance risk yet.

With greywater, I’m extra careful - don’t want any backups or leaks inside the house. I stick to simple mesh screens and clean them out every week. Not fun, but at least I know what’s going on in there. Sometimes low-tech is just less stressful, even if it’s more hands-on.

I get where you’re coming from with the self-cleaning filters - they can be finicky, especially if there’s a lot of debris in your rainwater. But I’ve seen some newer models that are way less prone to sticking, especially if you give them a quick rinse now and then. Sometimes the upfront hassle pays off later, but yeah, nothing beats the reliability of a simple mesh screen. I just get tired of cleaning them out every week... trade-offs everywhere, I guess.

Yeah, I totally get the frustration with cleaning mesh screens all the time - been there, done that. One thing that helped me was installing a first-flush diverter before the filter. It catches most of the big stuff right off the bat, so the filter doesn’t clog up as fast. Also, if you angle your downpipes just right, gravity does half the work for you. Still, nothing’s truly maintenance-free... but at least it cuts down on the weekly gunk patrol.

Still, nothing’s truly maintenance-free... but at least it cuts down on the weekly gunk patrol.

Yeah, that’s the truth - maintenance-free is a myth, especially when you’re trying to save a few bucks and do things yourself. I tried skipping the first-flush diverter at first (figured it was just another thing to buy), but after a couple months of scraping sludge out of the mesh, I caved. Worth every penny, honestly. It’s not perfect, but it does make life easier.

I’ve been running a rainwater setup for a couple years now, and while it’s great for the garden, I still get jealous of folks who’ve got greywater systems hooked up for laundry or toilets. The upfront cost for greywater was just too much for me, though. Rainwater harvesting felt way more doable on my budget - just some barrels, a few pipes, and a lot of trial and error. Plus, you can start small and add on as you go.

One thing I learned the hard way: don’t cheap out on the mesh screen itself. I tried using some leftover window screen at first (bad idea). It clogged up constantly and started to rust. Ended up getting a stainless steel one online, and it’s held up way better.

Angling the downpipes is a good tip. I didn’t think about that at first, but after a big storm dumped a ton of leaves into my barrel, I realized gravity could be my friend if I just tweaked the setup a bit. Now most of the junk ends up in the diverter or just washes away instead of sitting in the barrel.

Anyway, I hear you on the “gunk patrol.” It’s not glamorous, but it beats paying for city water to keep the tomatoes alive. If you ever figure out a way to make it truly maintenance-free, let me know... I’ll be first in line.

Totally agree on the mesh screen - learned that lesson after my first season when I spent more time cleaning than actually using the water. Stainless is the way to go. I’ve also found that even with diverters, stuff still finds its way in, especially after windy days. Not sure there’s any real way around it unless you’re willing to get pretty high-tech (and pricey). Greywater’s always been tempting, but between permits and plumbing, rainwater just feels more manageable for a DIY setup. At least the tomatoes don’t mind a little leaf debris now and then...