gray water

noun

1. dirty water from sinks, showers, bathtubs, washing machines, and the like, that can be recycled, as for use in flushing toilets.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gray water¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

For 19 days, we hauled potable drinking water from distribution sites, collected gray water and creek water for flushing, and carefully rationed every drop.

From Slate

She led a publicly funded program called Water L.A., which helped capture water at more than 130 sites from Panorama City to South L.A. through strategies including installing rain tanks and gray water systems, replacing asphalt with permeable paving, and converting streetside parkways into stormwater-catching basins with native plants.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2013, Fillmore County adopted an ordinance requiring most homes to have a septic system for the disposal of gray water.

From Washington Times

They also offered an alternative used in more than a dozen other states that would allow them to funnel gray water from their homes by pipes to earthen basins filled with wood chips to filter solids and grease from the water as it drains, similar to how a septic system would work.

From Washington Times

It’s essentially about plumbing - specifically, the disposal of gray water.

From Washington Times