Had a tenant try the hybrid route—rain barrels for the veggie beds, greywater for toilet flushing only. Honestly, the rain barrels were a breeze, but the greywater side needed more attention than they expected.
In their case, it was more hassle than help. The maintenance on diverters and keeping odors down got old fast. For small yards, I’d stick with barrels unless you really love tinkering.“Wondering if that splits the difference or just doubles the headaches...”
“the maintenance on diverters and keeping odors down got old fast”
That’s been my experience too. Rain barrels are pretty much set-and-forget, just clear out the gutters now and then. Greywater setups? You’re always checking for clogs, leaks, or that weird smell creeping in. Unless you’re really into plumbing projects, it’s a lot for a small payoff—especially if you’re just flushing toilets. For most folks, barrels are way less hassle.
Honestly, I’ve seen the same thing—rain barrels just need a quick rinse and maybe a new screen every season. Greywater setups can get gross if you’re not on top of it. Had to unclog a line once that smelled like a swamp... not fun. If you’re not up for regular checks, rainwater’s way easier.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from—rain barrels are pretty low-maintenance if you’re just collecting for the garden or whatever. But I’ve seen a few setups where folks let them go too long without a clean and ended up with mosquito larvae or this weird algae film. Not the end of the world, but still kinda gross if you’re not paying attention.
On the greywater side, yeah, it can get funky if you don’t keep up with it. But I’ve noticed that a lot of the newer systems have better filters and diverters now. They’re not as finicky as they used to be. If you’re using biodegradable soaps and keeping food scraps out of the line, it’s not too bad. Plus, you get way more water out of a greywater system than just rain barrels—especially in dry spells.
Guess it just depends on how much effort you wanna put in. Both have their quirks, but I wouldn’t write off greywater just because of one swampy clog... happens to the best of us.
Had to laugh at the “swampy clog”—been there, done that, and my backyard still remembers. I will say, my rain barrel once turned into a mosquito Airbnb because I forgot the screen. Greywater’s more work, but honestly, it’s saved my veggie patch during dry summers. Both have their moments, but I’d rather wrestle with a filter than a cloud of bugs any day.
