System and method for utilizing gray water to flush a toilet

Abstract

A system and method for utilizing gray water to flush a toilet includes a potable water source, a gray water tank, a first conduit coupled between the gray water tank and the toilet, and a pump configured to transfer gray water from the gray water tank to the toilet tank via the first conduit. The gray water tank may be configured to receive water from a sink of a bathroom, kitchen, or other room of a house, building, RV, etc. By utilizing gray water to flush a toilet, potable water may be conserved. In some examples, the system and method for utilizing gray water to flush a toilet also includes one or more sensors, one or more valves, one or more controllers, wireless transceivers, and one or more filters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for utilizing gray water to flush a toilet, the system comprising:
 a potable water tank;   a potable pump configured to pump potable water from the potable water tank;   a first electric valve configured to control the flow of water from the potable water tank to the toilet;   a gray water tank;   a gray water pump configured to pump gray water from the gray water tank; and   a second electric valve configured to control the flow of water from the gray water tank to the toilet.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter interposed between the gray water tank and the toilet. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a check valve interposed between the toilet and the second electric valve. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a gray tank dump gate valve. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a gray tank sensor configured to detect the gray water level within the gray water tank. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a controller configured to receive data from the sensor and to actuate one or more of the first electric valve, the second electric valve, the gray water pump, and the potable water pump. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the controller further comprises a wireless transceiver coupled thereto. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one battery configured to power the potable pump, the gray pump, the first electric valve, and the second electric valve. 
     
     
         9 . A system for utilizing gray water to flush a toilet, the system comprising:
 a potable water source configured to provide potable water to the toilet;   a gray water tank;   a sensor positioned within the gray water tank and configured to detect the level of gray water within the gray water tank;   a gray water pump configured to pump gray water from the gray water tank to the toilet; and   a controller configured to control the position of an electric valve, the electric valve configured to:
 i. control the flow of gray water from the gray water tank to the toilet; and 
 ii. control the flow of potable water from the potable water source to the toilet. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a filter interposed between the gray water tank and the toilet. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a check valve interposed between the toilet and the fresh water source. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a gray tank dump gate valve. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller further comprises a wireless transceiver coupled thereto and configured to transmit the status the system to a user device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller further comprises a wireless transceiver coupled thereto and configured to communicate to a second controller, the second controller configured to actuate the electric valve. 
     
     
         15 . A system for utilizing gray water to flush a toilet, the system comprising:
 a potable water tank;   a potable pump configured to pump potable water from the potable water tank to the toilet;   a gray water tank;   a sensor positioned within the gray water tank and configured to detect the level of gray water within the gray water tank;   a gray water pump configured to pump gray water from the gray water tank to the toilet;   a first controller configured to control the position of at least one electric valve, the at least one electric valve configured to:
 i. control the flow of gray water from the gray water tank to the toilet; and 
 ii. control the flow of potable water from the potable water source to the toilet; 
   a filter interposed between the gray water tank and the toilet; and   a check valve interposed between the gray water pump and the potable pump.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a second controller, wherein the first controller controls the position of the at least one electric valve by communicating through the second controller. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each controller comprises a respective wireless transceiver coupled thereto, the wireless transceivers configured to communicate with one another.