Greywater Systems - Banana Circles
During Phase one of the project in cooperation with the people of Vergenoeg we installed three grey water systems.
The first was in the place where the waste water from doing dishes was being thrown out of the hostel kitchen. The ground was smooth from the constant bath of heavily nutrified water being dumped there everyday. Now there are banana trees, mulberries, blackberries, beans, sour fig and sweet potato making use of the water. The chemicals in the soap are being bound up by the decomposition process of the dead plant matter in the centre of the circle. |
The second grey water system not only used a resource that was going to waste but fixed a problem. At the corner of the girls hostel there was a puddle of standing grey water which was recharged everyday. It was a health concern on several different levels and it was causing the building to settle in the one corner.
When we cut into the pipe we realized that the existing system meant to channel grey water away from the building into a covered pit was blocked. After some rebar roto rootering we freed the clothing and plastic wrappers that we blocking the pipe. We installed a screen over the input pipe to prevent it from happening again and planted, bananas, sugar cane, strawberries, mulberries, sour fig, bush beans, nasturtium, grapes, borage, and lemongrass.
When we cut into the pipe we realized that the existing system meant to channel grey water away from the building into a covered pit was blocked. After some rebar roto rootering we freed the clothing and plastic wrappers that we blocking the pipe. We installed a screen over the input pipe to prevent it from happening again and planted, bananas, sugar cane, strawberries, mulberries, sour fig, bush beans, nasturtium, grapes, borage, and lemongrass.
The third circle was put in on the final day of the training by the boys living at the hostel. They selected the site where the girls did the laundry and dumped the water. The grass there was already greener and thicker than the surrounding area.
We sat back and watched in amazement as they demonstrated what they had learned in the permaculture course completing all the steps on their own.
We sat back and watched in amazement as they demonstrated what they had learned in the permaculture course completing all the steps on their own.
Learn about Vergenoeg's Ferro Cement Water Tank |
Learn about Vergenoeg's Food Forest
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