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This is similar to, but more general than this question and referring to from scratch buildings.

I've seen Create an Oasis with Greywater and it's an awesome resource to build a DIY system.

The question is, how are new homes built from scratch that are trying to reduce their water impact doing all this, while remaining comfortable and usable by everyone? Can you point to existing systems used to build new homes that are just as comfortable as regular homes but that reuse the greywater?

  • You mention homes -- are you interested specifically in single family, or multi-family homes? Or just in general? – LShaver Jul 23 '21 at 19:26
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    I was thinking single family when I wrote the question, but either or both are fine by me –  Jul 23 '21 at 21:33
  • I'm realizing this question is a bit broad -- I'm wondering exactly what you're looking for? Product recommendations would be off-limits. Also, why would a gray water system be less comfortable? Sounds like maybe you have a particular challenge in mind. – LShaver Jul 23 '21 at 21:54
  • I think greywater use would be for the toilet or for the yard or for a root irrigation of a shade tree in a desert climate. For the toilet, a toilet-bowl-cleaner with bleach in it works very well and that's chlorine. – S Spring Jul 23 '21 at 22:31
  • Yeah, my water bill is more than the electricity bill so pump the shower and sink water into an overhead stainless-steel tank that refills the toilet-tank. Turn the water pressure line to the toilet-bowl as off. But rainwater from the roof could work without pumping. And basically, the stainless-steel roof is clean after the first few minutes of rain. – S Spring Jul 23 '21 at 22:41
  • @LShaver yes, the challenge is to design a new single family home that uses graywater, what's the current "state of the art" in both comfort and waste reduction? –  Jul 24 '21 at 06:24
  • I find composting toilets and then the use of grey water for watering plants to be more of a sustainable low use water direction but have only seen this done on a few homes and they were “tiny houses”. – Ed Beal Aug 14 '21 at 22:05
  • There won't be one system for this, it's more a collection of techologies. Objects like sink-over-cistern toilets and reed beds, ideas like not flushing wet wipes. And the targets vary from DIYers who will poo in a bucket rather than buy a composting toilet to public facilities where users will actively vandalise things (rainwater collection/tanks at public toilets, for example). In Australia building standards require rainwater tanks feeding laundry+toilet (via a "get this score, points for diffent options" setup , so you don't have to have a tank, it's just hard not to) – Móż Oct 25 '21 at 21:14

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