Greywater and Water Use

Wastewater from the home can be broken down into two categories. The first is blackwater, most commonly known as sewage, and it consists of toilet wastes and wastes from food grinders/garbage disposals. The other kind is called greywater, and that comes from showers and baths, dishwashers, washing machines, and sinks in the home. Greywater is quickly becoming a way to conserve water and promote healthy reuse of water in our neighborhoods.

The Filtering Process

When greywater is being reused, it must first go through a filtering process to make sure there are no harmful chemicals and pathogens in the water that could harm the plants that could be irrigated with the recycled water. A basic system involves piping greywater away from the source to a tank, where it is treated, then stored until used, depending on where it is used. There are many filtering systems, and plenty of research should be done to discover if there is a best choice for a personal system. Some of these systems include:

When deciding on a system, there are obviously many choices. Anyone looking to put in a system should also check with his or her local government where some systems are approved and a rebate for putting them in is offered. Of course, planters are not the only use for greywater that has been treated and pumped somewhere else for use.

Uses of Greywater

Greywater can be reused by sending it through a filtering process and removing the particles, chunks, and bacteria it picks up when it is used in showers, bath tubs, sinks, dishwashers, and washing machines. While the water that is recycled is non-potable (not drinkable), much of it is near-potable (almost clean enough to drink) and can be used on food plants. There are many uses for greywater too, including:

Benefits of Using Greywater

The benefits of using filtered greywater make the filtering process easily worthwhile. They not only save money, but water as well, and create less waste in the process. Here are some more benefits of reusing greywater for the household, all of which can help you as well as the environment around you:

Greywater Use and Water Conservation

Greywater use can be a large part of water conservation. The goals of water conservation include saving more fresh water for later use, energy conservation, and habitat conservation. Greywater promotes all of these goals.

Planning Your Own System

When planning your own greywater recycling system, there are several things you should look at before choosing a system. Knowing where you�re going to put the system, what it�s going to do, and other factors will help you choose what kind of system you want, need, and can afford, which are the three questions you need to answer.

Whether you are planning a system to practice water conservation or to simply save your poor septic system some trouble, reusing greywater obviously has a lot of benefits. It is becoming more popular at the state and city level to reuse greywater, as it is less of a burden on aquatic ecosystems and saves energy. Before deciding if a greywater system is for you, remember that you�re not only helping the environment, but also saving energy, conserving water, and being a responsible consumer.