Help save my new lawn- water restrictions going up

[JDub]

Hey all,

I have recently (a few months ago) as part of my landscaping efforts put in two reasonably small area's of new turf with full automatic irrigation system, front and backyard, both areas about 50m2. My family loves the new grass and we want to keep it alive

Now water restrictions here in the ACT are at stage two, which means no sprinkler systems with the exception of evening weekends, other wise you need to hand water.... this is fine, I use the sprinklers once a week and then if needed hand water once during the week.

However when we go to stage 3 (which is looking very likely) you are not to water turf at all. Im all for saving water and understand the importance of it but at the same time wish to save my little green lawn.

What are my options? and costs involved (on a budget)?

1) Rainwater tank with pump to handwater? How big a tank do I need?
2) Rainwater tank hooked up to my auto irrigation system/solenoids? (im not even sure if this is possible)
3) divert the grey water from the shower and bath to my front lawn (downhill), but this doesnt help my backlawn, also concerned about the shampoos, soap and chemicals affecting the lawn?
4) just let my lawn die

Sorry bout all the questions, but your thoughts and experiences would help me out

Cheers

[MurrayD99]

We get 400 gallons a day from the county - goes not very far if you try and keep the garden alive. Houses here not connected to town water used to have a 5,000 gallon tank cast on site - usually with the top forming a patio. This would be connected to a small pump (200 gal/hr) and thus to the header tank in the ceiling. Float switch.... The same pump could be plumbed to a bore (not drinkable!!!:eek with gate valves to get the water to the garden taps (not the header tank!!:eek. Want to water the garden - easy (override the float switch temporarily... change the water source... away it goes).

If you have room on the section/plot/yard for a 5,000 gallon tank, it would be the way to go. You don't need to integrate it with the house water (though if you can't have a shower when you want. maybe it would be useful). Tank cost is $NZ2,000, won't be more, I guess, in ACT and pump isn't a big deal.

[johnc]

I'd look at a waste water system off the showers pumped directly each day. Soap and shampoo are not a problem for lawn and you probably produce more water from the shower than the roof does from rain. We are starting to look at the same thing here, and I am beginning to look at a non storage option pumping to different parts of the garden through an exisiting reticulation system. I am about to find out if soap etc will block the spray jets, someone else may know and save me the research.

John

[masoth]

Surviverability (is that a word? ) depends on what the lawn is. Although you might have only rain to water the lawn revival is likely with most grasses.
I use a 3000 ltr rainwater tank, and a watering-can to ensure my lawn does not die completely.
My suggestion is that you recycle grey-water for the front, and install a 3000, or 5000 ltr tank with a pump for the back - as I understand, it you should be entitled to fill the tank fron a commercial supplier. It is not likely to fill from rain soon.
The pump would supply a sprinkler with minimum flow keeping your lawn alive.
Most grass is much tougher that people realize, but good luck, anyway.

soth

[masoth]

Ooops, bye the way, it looks great and I can see why you don't want to lose it.

[Bleedin Thumb]

JDub's Lawn
RIP
1996-1996




Best start to say your goodbyes now.
Think of the mowing you will save yourself.

[JDub]

JDub's Lawn
RIP
1996-1996




Best start to say your goodbyes now.
Think of the mowing you will save yourself.

We had some good times we did

*cuts to chessy clip of me rolling and frolicking on the grass*

BTW did we lose a decade all of a sudden and no one told me about it? I remembered it rained once or twice back in 1996

[Doughboy]

JDub

It looks as though you have access to under your house, if this is the case catching the grey water from your bath, shower and laundry is relatively easy.

I have my own set up and this is all my place ever gets. If it does not live on grey water then it does not live in my garden. I have not turned on a tap to water lawn or garden for over four years and dont intend to start now.

I have 50 mm PVC to divert all the water to a plastic 200lt drum it goes through a filtration set up I made and then pump this out every night and sometimes when we are doing a few loads of washing three times a day.

Pump is relatively cheap if your dont have a great slope on your block, just one of those submersible ones is all I started out with but now I have a Davey Dynajet because we moved to a block with 15 metre lift from front to back and the little pump just would not do it.

Pete

[Wood Butcher]

I have been diverting the grey water from my washing onto the grass here and we have lots of green. Just make sure that you get a phosphate free detergent to minimise the effect.

[JDub]

Ooops, bye the way, it looks great and I can see why you don't want to lose it.

Cheers and thanks for the suggestions, I will look into the raintank option however I fear my hip pocket may not like it

I will definately look at DIY installing a gravity fed grey water hose from the bath and shower though, simple and cheap and may at least give one lawn area bit of a chance.

Hopefully they wont increase the restrictions and both areas will be saved from the fate Bleedin has predicted..... wishful thinking maybe :mad:

[Bleedin Thumb]

BTW did we lose a decade all of a sudden and no one told me about it? I remembered it rained once or twice back in 1996

Whooa those flash backs come at the worse times!

Of course I know its 2006 I was just testing you.

[JDub]

I have 50 mm PVC to divert all the water to a plastic 200lt drum it goes through a filtration set up I made and then pump this out every night

Thanks Pete,

Pics? more info on the filtration and pump system you use?

Joel

[Wood Butcher]

Joel

SWMBO just gave me this link about washing powders and their phosphorous content. Might be of some help.
http://www.lanfaxlabs.com.au/papers/Na-P-graph-2005.pdf

[Clinton1]

what sort of grass is it? Couch, buffalo, kikiyu.....?

That kind of defines your options.
Couch and Buffalo can go a lot longer without water, and a once every 2 or 3 weeks watering might do.
With buffalo or couch, bucketing or using a 'slip on' hose to catch the rinse from a big washing day might do ... I put 100 litres on the lawn from one rince cycle with our machine set to maxi load (using a full load of course).

With other 'temperate' grass mixes.... no real easy solution. I'd get a few rolls of couch and divide it up and spot plant out the lawn. Let it spread.

[coastie]

Move to Bega no water restrictions there at all