Using washing machine water in the garden

Question

Can I use discharge water from our washing machine on my garden? Tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, cabbage peppers, bush beans, cucumbers, parsley, oregano, chives, etc. We use Tide soap (he) and occasional chlorox in to clean our clothes.

Answer 1

The issue with this is that graywater may contain bacteria, and if you eat fruit and vegetables that have been irrigated with graywater, you may become sick. However, if the vegetable is going to be cooked, any bacteria present should die during the cooking process, thus removing this risk. While graywater irrigation in edible gardens is more of a personal choice, you should always check with your local extension office or health department beforehand, as many areas have specific regulations concerning the use of graywater on plants (because of the slight bacteria ricks associated with its use).