Rainwater toilets and greywater showers: City tries new water-saving tricks
For me, swapping filters is still less hassle than dealing with gunked-up fixtures or surprise leaks.
That’s been my experience too. I’d rather spend ten minutes wrestling with a filter housing every few months than have to pull apart a faucet or, worse, replace a valve that’s full of sediment. The cost of cartridges can sneak up, though—especially if you’re running multiple lines for rainwater and greywater like some of these new city setups.
I’ve noticed that with rainwater especially, the filter maintenance schedule gets tighter. Even with a first-flush diverter on the downspout, there’s always more fine grit and organic stuff than you’d expect. The 5-micron filters do a solid job, but if you let them go too long, the pressure drop gets pretty noticeable. I had one time where the shower went from “normal” to “trickle” overnight because the cartridge clogged up after a big storm.
One thing I’d add—if you’re using filters for both greywater and rainwater systems, it helps to label the housings and keep track of which cartridge goes where. I mixed up a used one with a new one once, and it was basically useless after that. Also, if you’re on a budget, it might be worth looking at reusable filter cartridges. They’re more work to clean out, but over time they can save some cash compared to disposables.
I’m curious if anyone’s tried using sediment traps before the main filter? I’ve read that adding a simple sand trap or even just a settling tank can take some of the load off your cartridges. Haven’t set one up myself yet, but it seems like it could help stretch out the replacement interval.
Anyway, totally agree—cutting corners on filtration just isn’t worth it in these setups. Fixing a leaky toilet valve because of grit is way more hassle than swapping out a filter every so often.
“the filter maintenance schedule gets tighter. Even with a first-flush diverter on the downspout, there’s always more fine grit and organic stuff than you’d expect.”
Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ve found too. Rainwater’s great for toilets, but it’s a pain filter-wise. I tried a DIY settling tank once—just a big barrel before the main filter—and it actually caught a surprising amount of muck. It wasn’t fancy, but it stretched out my cartridge life by a couple months. I’m with you, though: dealing with a clogged valve or replacing a faucet is way more of a headache than swapping filters.
Honestly, I’ve always thought these rainwater setups sound great on paper, but the maintenance is where folks get tripped up. I’ve had tenants call me about “weird smells” or slow flushes, and nine times out of ten it’s just gunk in the filter or a sticky valve. That settling barrel trick is clever, though—might be worth a shot at my next place. Still, I’d rather swap a filter than deal with a flooded bathroom because someone ignored the warning signs...
“I’ve had tenants call me about ‘weird smells’ or slow flushes, and nine times out of ten it’s just gunk in the filter or a sticky valve.”
That’s spot on. Most of the time, it’s the basics that trip people up. I’ve seen setups where folks forget to clean the first flush diverter, and suddenly you’ve got a swampy mess in the holding tank. Here’s what I usually tell people:
1. Check filters monthly—don’t wait for a problem.
2. Flush the system with clean water every couple months, especially if you notice any odor.
3. Keep an eye on valves; a sticky one can back up things fast.
4. If you’re using a settling barrel, make sure it’s easy to access for cleaning. Otherwise, nobody’s going to want to deal with it.
Honestly, I’d rather spend 10 minutes swapping a filter than spend hours mopping up after an overflow. Had one job where someone ignored a slow flush for weeks... by the time I got there, the whole subfloor was soaked. Not fun.
Maintenance isn’t glamorous, but it beats emergency repairs every time.
Couldn’t agree more about the maintenance—people always underestimate how fast things go south if you skip it. I’d add, make sure you’re using the right kind of filter for your setup. Some of those cheap ones clog up twice as fast, and then folks wonder why stuff smells funky. I’ve had to replace a whole section of pipe before because someone let gunk build up for months. It’s just not worth the risk, especially if you care about keeping things safe and clean.