Recylce R/O Waste Water

[nfored]

Tell me what you think. basically this system would have a 10 gallon tank that is feed by city water when the water level drops below 5 gallons, and is feed by the R/O waste water when it below or above 5 gallons. the r/o waste water can enter the tank unhindered, the main water line is hooked to a float switch so it only comes on if the tank has less than 5 gallons of water in it.

the tank also has an over flow at the top in case the r/o waste water is more than the tank can hold, or the float switch breaks and the main water keeps pumping in. next I have pump hooked up to the line feeding the toilet with a hole in it so the back pressure is not so hard on the pump.

last is a flood siren so i know when water reaches the overflow, I can ignore this if I am using the r/o unit. However if that goes off while i am not using the r/o unit I know my float switch broke and the main water is flowing freely into the tank and out the overflow. luckily for me the water line feeding my toilet is under my sink next to my r/o unit so a small water pump could be used that doesn't need to lift the water.

 

[nfored]

If I can get this to work, I might step It up a level and add a rainwater line to it. If only I could figure out how to do this without a pump, electricity i am sure cost more than the wasted water.

 

[CHOMPERS]

What you need is electric float switches. They can be purchased as 'normally closed' or 'normally open'.

Put a 'normally closed' switch in the toilet tank to turn on and off the pump. This will tell the pump when to send water.

And I think you should use a bigger tank if space will allow. You need more than one flush in reserve. When the bathroom is busy (mornings or when everyone returns home) you will benifit from a larger reserve. Do you know how long it will take the RO system to produce the volume to refill the toilet tank?

 

[nfored]

Well I I know the r/o wont fill the toilet fast, thats why I have the main line is also plumbed in. I figured when some one flushes, the tank will drop below 5 gallons and the main line would refill the tank at the same speed it would fill the toilet.

As far as space goes I can upgrade to a 20 gallon. the point of this is basically to use the main water 90% of the time like normal, but then when the r/o waste water flows into the tank it will also use that also, so i don't throw away money.

Ill also get an electronic float switch so i can save more money. I hate the rising price of utilities and want to save every where I can. In Kansas City they never upgraded the sewage system since the 50's, the EPA came in and slapped us with huge fines and a order upgrade over the next few years. Well guess who has to pay for these, the customers. You would think they could use the money from not preforming upgrades for the past 60 years.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Sounds like they got their maintenance ideas from here in Orlando We have to deal with that too.

Another water saver that you might be interested in is my current project. I am going to pump my waste water from my tanks to a cistern and then use that for my irrigation system. I am currently pumping my tank's waste water to the sewer. It'll do the lawn some good especially since we are in a drought right now.