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Build a laundry-to-landscape system

A laundry-to-landscape system uses the washing machine pump to push greywater through pipe to mulch basins, with no tank or extra pump. It is the simplest greywater system.

How

1. Install a three-way valve near the washer, labelled with each destination (for example 'Sewer' and 'Orchard').
2. Run 1 inch (25 mm) pipe to the plants. California guidance uses polyethylene tubing with a purple stripe labelled as non-potable.
3. Fit a vacuum breaker at the high point if the first outlet is lower than the washer water level.
4. Use between 6 and 18 outlets per zone, each discharging into a mulch basin.
5. Cover each outlet with at least 2 inches (5 cm) of mulch, rock or soil, or a solid shield.
6. Check the washer pump is not overloaded by long runs or uphill sections (follow the manufacturer's limits).

Sources

1. Laundry to Landscape Graywater System Design Guidelines. County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health, accessed 2026-11
2. Use of Graywater in Urban Landscapes. University of California Cooperative Extension, accessed 2026-11

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