• Reusing water aids in water conservation.fountain. water feature. water cascade image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
  
  Not only does reusing water help to save a natural resource, but it also reduces the amount of wasted water. Reusing gray water helps consumers by cutting back on the cost of the water bill. Gray water comes from water that has been used around the house. Usable water comes from places like the bathtub, dishwashers, sinks and washing machine. It can be used in a variety of places from home gardens to bird baths.
  
  

Home Gardens

• Keep a supply of gray water flowing to the home garden. Do not use water from the toilet. Because of everyday contaminants used in the house such as grease, detergent and hair, careful consideration needs to be taken when choosing which gray water to use.
  
  Use only the amount of water that the garden needs and dispose of any additional water. Each square foot of soils needs about a half-gallon of gray water a week. The University of Massachusetts recommends using the water from the bathtub before any other type of water is considered. Because of possible fecal contamination, do not use water used to wash baby diapers.
  
  Fresh water should be used on food plants. The gray water can be used everywhere else. If gray water needs to be used on food plants, use it only on plants that are above the ground. Only use it in the soil and not on the plants.
  
  

Flower Beds

• Use a container to collect the water that drips out of a mounted air conditioning window unit. Place the container under the drip spout. When enough water is collected, use it to water flowers. The recycled water can be used on indoor plants and outdoor flowers. After a shower or bath, use a hose to irrigate the water outside to flower beds.
  
  

Bird Baths and Fountains

• Other uses for gray water include filling bird baths or using fountains that reuse their own water. For bird baths, use gray water that has the least numbers on contaminants. Do not use gray water that is from the washer or may contain any type of detergent, grease or non-biodegradable product.
  
  Using a fountain that recycles its own water prevents a continuous flow of water to the fountain. Conserving water and reusing gray water cuts back on wasted water and helps to lower the monthly water bill.