By using gray water, landscape irrigation can be maintained despite outdoor watering bans and higher water costs. Gray water is water that can be used twice. Using gray water can almost double home water-use efficiency and provide a water source for landscape irrigation. Avoid using cleaning and laundry products that contain boron which can be very toxic to plants, even in small amounts. Do not use artificially softened water.
Softeners replace calcium and magnesium with sodium.
Do not recycle drainage water from swimming pools. Gray water can be applied to landscape plants as it is generated, or it can be stored on in suitable sized containers. Short-term storage will allow suspended matter to settle. It may be practical to pump large quantities of gray water onto the landscape as needed in dry weather. For health reasons, gray water should not be sprayed into the air or applied directly to plant materials.