Greywater legality — ask first (not after the pipe)

Greywater (laundry, showers, some sinks) can irrigate landscapes where rules allow. Viral DIY often skips permits, setbacks, and soap chemistry. This card is questions only — not a build guide.

Who to ask (in order)

• County / city building or environmental health — is greywater permitted?
• If on septic: does your septic authority allow diversion?
• HOA / landlord / lease — separate from public code
• Extension office — local climate fit and plant safety notes

Questions to bring them

• Which sources allowed (laundry only vs shower vs kitchen)?
• Permit / inspection required? Simple laundry-to-mulch vs full plumbing change?
• Setbacks from wells, property lines, vegetable beds?
• Storage allowed or must it be used immediately (no stagnant tanks)?
• Soap rules: biodegradable only? No boron / salts that kill plants?

Until you have a clear yes

• Do not cut into drains or sewer lines
• Prefer rain catchment where legal (rain-barrel card · rainwater article)
• Mulch basins and drip from potable hose still count as water thrift
• If the answer is no — stop. Illegal systems are not “self-sufficient”; they are liability

When greywater is the wrong project

• You have not fixed outdoor leaks or timed irrigation yet
• You rent and cannot modify plumbing
• Your landscape is mostly food crops needing stricter water quality

Related: compost loops (compost-first) often free more “water” via soil holding than a rushed greywater hack.

If water reuse is one chapter in a broader backyard systems plan, a structured guide can help after legality is clear:

Ask your county. Then decide.