Renewable Energy - Part 8 - Graywater recycling

Image above courtesy of AquaTech Pressmain

- Graywater recycling

Water from washing and bathing, can be reused for flushing toilets or irrigating the garden. If you have had a water meter installed, then fitting a gray water recycling system makes perfect economic sense, as well as being ecologically friendly, helping to ease the environmental burdens associated with water storage, purification, distribution and treatment facilities.

Systems to divert water from a single appliance, such as a washing machine or dish washer, may be nothing more than a hose through the kitchen window, alternatively a recycling system can be plumbed in, with a storage tank. However gray water should not be stored for long periods, ideally not more than 24hours, as some bacteria and organic matter, can be expected to contaminate it. Commercial systems are available, such as Ecoplay that will safely recycle the water from washing, and use it to flush toilets, saving up to 30% of water used in the home. For other commercially available graywater systems you may wish to visit the preswiki directory.

When using graywater from showers and washing, on the garden, care should be taken with regard to the choice of household cleaners and detergents, product which are phosphate-free or low-phosphate are preferable.

- Rain water harvesting

The water run-off from the roof of your property, is relatively pure, and can safely be used to flush toilets, and for washing cloths. If you are living in a area where the water supply is metered, rain water harvesting can reduce your water bill by up to 50%, and can be achieved at minimal cost by a competent d.i.y. person. The water run-off from your roof, is passed through a filter and stored in a tank, which may be placed in a roof space, or at ground level, and then distributed around the home through a gravity or pumped system. Visit the preswiki directory for commercially available systems.

Top image - above ground rainwater butt for garden irrigation. Bottom image - below ground rainwater tank suitable for flushing toilets, washing cloths and garden irrigation.

Images above courtesy of GRAF UK