I do try to recycle water to help save the planet more than saving money. Areas that have suffered from draughts are very aware of the need to save water. We have had very dry summers in our area, we are still not at the required water table levels yet. Hoping next summer will not be as hot and dry.
The sentence structure is a bit peculiar, but they didn't mean to feed bathwater to the pets. They meant to take the water you haven't finished whenever you get a cuppa and give that to your pets.
I had always wondered why shower water isn't recycled directly into the toilet tank. Think about this: We're flushing the toilet with drinkable water!
This is nice. We really need to reuse bath waters. I use a bucket full water and bath in a systemic way as the water used fall on another bucket and I use this to water my garden.
This is a subject I'm interested in because, in my area, there is a drought. Because of that, there are some water restrictions (watering plants only twice a week, for example), and there may be more in the future. Our washing machine is outside, and empties into a ditch I dug around a tree. I got some plant starts from a friend and planted a few herbs (comfrey, tansy, yarrow, peppermint, and spearmint). So far, the herbs are doing great. I'm not sure if the herbs would be edible, though (mainly the mint) because of the soap in the water. We used to have a shower head that could be shut off while the water was running to save water while lathering up, and so forth. As I recall, we tried to use it in this present place but it wouldn't fit. I miss having that option.
Instead of throwing the water after the washing machine has drained it, I collect it and use it as a toilet flush. It also smells great because the smell of the detergent is still there. I put the hose in the bucket and collect the water that is drained and then will store that in the toilet. It can be for several uses for the day. At least I was able to save toilet tank water even just for a day. I also put buckets outside to collect water from the rain. Now that it is starting to rain in the region where I live, it is high time to prepare the buckets again. Rain water can be used in washing the car and cleaning some things in the house like pvc chairs and pvc tables. Also, when it rains, I do not need to water the plants in the garden. I am very vigilant in checking leaks. Leakage can really waste water big time and adds to the water bill, too! I report leakage at once. Even if the water leakage is not necessarily found in my home, like if I saw a leaked pipe on the streets, I do report it immediately. It is very important to conserve water.
I'm just curious, why did you plant herbs in a location where you might not be able to eat them? My washing machine is also outside and drains near a tree, but it's a shade tree, not a fruit tree. Were you just planting the herbs for ornamentation, or did you not think about the soap in the water at the time? I grow herbs too, but they're in containers and the only thing I put on them besides water is sometimes coffee grounds.
I agree that puting out containers is a good way to get more water for my garden. I also dig "water circles" around trees and shrubs to keep the water on the plants and not running off on the lawn.
I am just wondering, the Earth is 3/4 water and yet we are having problems with water. I think it is nature's way of letting us know that even if things are very abundant, we should still take care and make the most out of them. In my case, most of the time, instead of using the shower, I just use a pale of water and a dipper when taking a bath. Filipino style.
In Jamaica, we usually have catchment tanks or a large plastic bin (which would be very clean) and it would be placed outside to collect rainwater. If I have finished washing the dishes, I could use the remaining water to water the plants. I also prefer to use a bucket and water to clean up the outside instead of a garden hose.
