Create an Oasis With Greywater: Your Complete Guide to Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systems [superseded by new edition] [Paperback]

Art Ludwig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2000

Create an Oasis with Greywater describes how to choose, build, and use twenty different types of greywater systems.

Topics include: Why to use or not use greywater, health guidelines, greywater sources, irrigation requirements, 20 system examples and selection chart, biocompatible cleaners, greywater plumbing principles and components, maintenance and troubleshooting, freezing, rain, preserving soil quality , storing rainwater, suppliers, and references. 51 pages, 22 figures, 35 photos, 8.5 x 11 inches.

The Builder's Greywater Guide is a companion volume for new construction and remodeling.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ludwig is a water visionary...The most practical and complete presentation of the subject I have seen." -- Michael MacCaskey, Editor-in-Chief, National Gardening

"The best resource on greywater I have found. A must have for anyone designing or installing a greywater system. This thorough booklet presents almost every design variation on greywater systems, from the simplest to the most complex, and gives the pros, cons and approximate cost of each both in dollars and environmental terms. It also includes adaptations for freezing climates and other important design details." -- David Dobbs, Senior Contributing Editor, Harrowsmith Country Life

"The explanatory drawings are very clear pieces of art...An easy writing style makes this valuable information comfortable to use." -- Pat Hardy, Editor, Professional Association of Innkeepers Newsletter

"You'll be in deep greywater without this book." -- Jeff Oldham, Real Goods Head Technician

Product Details

• Paperback: 49 pages
• Publisher: Oasis Design; 2nd edition (February 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964343304
• ISBN-13: 978-0964343306
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,203,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great starting source of info., December 18, 2003

By 

Dangrenade (Broomfield, CO United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Create an Oasis With Greywater: Your Complete Guide to Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systems [superseded by new edition] (Paperback)

A good friend owns a cabing in the mountains, but not enough land and too close to the river for a septic leach field. Her holding tank was costing her dearly to empty. I bought this book, and helped her install a grey water leach field that has worked great and saved her TONS of money each year!!! While she used to pump her 1000 gal holding tank every couple months at a cost of $500-600, she now pumps about once a year! No more pumping shower and sink water with the sewage!!!!

The info on testing soil porosity was a great help!

While the book is not a complete resource, it is close to it, and will definately get you started (I knew zip about grey-water systems when I bought it).

A couple suggestions I would add:

I used inverted, old 5-gallon buckets for "leach pots". They are dirt cheap (free, actually - just ask around and keep your eyes open) compared to purchased plastic pots, and have way more capacity.

To prevent possible smell from returning via the main line, I installed a trap and vented the above pots with much smaller sprinkler hose, which I returned to the house (in the same ditch) before venting to atmosphere.

Overall, I highly recommend this book.

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have books for wiser water use, September 8, 2000

By 

"2xam" (Adelaide, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Create an Oasis With Greywater: Your Complete Guide to Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systems [superseded by new edition] (Paperback)

I have recently purchased two of the brillant publications on grewater recyling by Oasis Design books; Create an Oasis with Greywater and Branched Drain Greywater Systems. Art Ludwig has created in both books a clear, but completely detailed, explanation of the benefits and ease of setup of a more sustainable and logical recycling system for domestic, public and commercial greywater to suit every budget and dwelling. Both books are rich with diagrams and explain without unnecessarily complicated detail how the average building can be turned, with ease, from a water wasting design into a more logical, sustainable setup ideal for those wanting to see better use of our valuable water resources. Myths about hygiene, design and cost of convertion are debunked. Water wasted is money down the drain but with greywater recycling, as described so perfectly in these publications, we can all get true value and a greener garden from every drop. Both books are a must for every household.

63 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Greywater fights drought., October 31, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (The South, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Create an Oasis With Greywater: Your Complete Guide to Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systems [superseded by new edition] (Paperback)

We came to most of Art's conclusions the hard way. If we had read his book four years ago we would have been spared several embarrassing moments. Like the day the empty surge tank popped up out of the ground after a heavy rain and cleaning the bilge pump so often before discovering the "panty hose filter system". These are issues that most authors don't care to become famous for writing about, but when you save your shallow well from the drought and discover the joy of having used your water twice, you come to believe that Art Ludwig deserves a special blessing for all of his hard work. A must read for everyone working to become independent from the ways of this present destructive world...In appreciation, ........ElectricSunDog