Grey Water Reuse
Grey Water Reuse
The recent droughts affecting many parts of South Africa, has shown us the importance of looking after the water that we do have. When you consider that an average family of four can use between 200 and 400 litres of water daily (depending on water restrictions), bringing some of that water back into action makes a lot of sense. At WATERfirst we can provide you with two options.
To help you make your choice, here are some facts about grey water:
- Grey water is water that comes from washing our bodies and clothes.
- Kitchen sink and dishwashing water is not suitable for reuse in the garden because it contains fat, oil and grease.
- Grey water must be used or processed within 48 hours, otherwise it can become as toxic as sewage water
- Untreated grey water does have an odour, although the smell dissipates quite quickly.
- Untreated grey water is not suitable for irrigating vegetables as they may take on the “flavour” of the grey water.
Solution 1
Drainage pipes (not from the kitchen sink and dishwasher) are redirected into a sump tank. When this tank is full of grey water, a pump will automatically switch on and disperse the water to wherever you have placed your garden sprinkler. This water is not treated and is only suitable for immediate release into your garden. Use it to water your garden.
Solution 2
WATERfirst Grey Water Treatment Plant is a complex system that cleans grey water biologically disinfecting the water, removing any odour, and making it safe to use for a variety of applications such as:
- Topping up your swimming pool
- Flushing the toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern)
- Washing your car
- Tackle outdoor cleaning projects
- Irrigate vegetables
Drainage pipes (not from the kitchen sink and dishwasher) are redirected into a sump tank. From the sump tank the water feeds into bioreactors which house the biological treatment process. Here is where the ecofriendly microorganisms clean the grey water and makes it reusable. This treated grey water will not smell like untreated grey water. When the biological process is complete, the reusable water goes into a storage tank, ready for reuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is grey water?
Grey water is made up of the water used from your bathroom (baths, showers, wash basins) and water used for clothes washing. It contains the products that we use to clean with – soaps, shampoos, oral hygiene products and laundry detergent chemicals. It is also comprised of “fluff” from the clothes wash and hair.
Where can I reuse untreated grey water?
Untreated Grey water can be directly used on your lawn and flower beds. Treated Grey Water has more uses such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
Is it easy to install a grey water recycling unit?
The easiest and most cost-effective way to reuse your grey water is to redirect all the relevant waste water pipes into a transfer tank. From here it can be pumped out onto your garden.
How long can I store untreated grey water before using it?
Greywater must be used within 48 hours. Storing it for longer will cause the grey water to rot and an unpleasant smell will occur. The unpleasant smell is due to the lack of oxygen and the grey water becomes anaerobic making the grey water noxious, and this needs to be avoided. Rule of thumb for reusing untreated grey water is – grey water in, immediately grey water out.
Can the use of grey water cause damage to my garden?
Untreated grey water, if managed correctly, will not necessarily have negative effects in your garden. By moving your garden sprinkler around often, the grey water is spread out as widely as possible and this will alleviate build-up of salts in the soil. By making a conscious choice to use more ecofriendly products in your cleaning routine, you will be lessening the salt and chemical load that could potentially build up in your garden.
How much of the water I use daily can be reused?
About 80% of the water we use on a daily basis can be reused. Most of the water we use is to keep ourselves clean. This water can be reused directly into your garden which keeps your garden flourishing and provides a sanctuary for insect and birdlife.
Why is reusing grey water important?
Reusing grey water has a positive impact in keeping your garden flourishing which, in turn, impacts the natural world of insect and birdlife in a positive and balanced way. Up to 80% of your daily water usage can be reused in this way.
Can I reuse my grey water for toilet flushing?
Every toilet flush uses between 6 to 12 litres of fresh water. Multiply that by 5 flushes in a day and that amounts to 30 to 60 litres of fresh valuable water. By recycling your grey water through a Grey Water Treatment Plant and piping it back into your toilet cistern, you will make a huge impact on your water bill and our precious water resource.
I’m building a new home and want to reuse my grey water
The perfect time to install a Grey Water Treatment Plant is at the beginning of a new build. This will take into consideration that the necessary pipe work is put in place, creating a more ecofriendly, water efficient way of living.
Can you treat grey water biologically?
Grey water can be treated biologically making it more user friendly with a wider use of application than untreated grey water reuse. Treated grey water can be reused for topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
Why is GREY water a problem?
It can only be a problem if it is utilised incorrectly. Untreated grey water must not be stored for long periods of time. And it is not fit for human consumption.
Can grey water be filtered and reused?
Grey water can be treated and reused. Waterfirst offers Grey Water Treatment Plants that uses a biological treatment process to clean the water. The water can then be reused in various ways such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
How do greywater systems work?
Pipelines coming from your bathroom and laundry get diverted to a central collection point. From here, if it is untreated, it will get pumped onto your garden. If you are treating the grey water, it goes into a Grey Water Treatment Plant where it is treated biologically and can be used in various ways such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
How do they recycle GREY water?
You can either use it directly into the garden or biologically treat it through a Grey Water Treatment Plant which will give you a wider application such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
How do you clean GREY water for reuse?
A biological aerobic treatment process takes place within tanks. Microorganisms break down the harmful substances in the grey water with an end result of clean, treated water that is ready for reuse for certain applications such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
How to clean grey water naturally?
Microorganisms are natures way of cleaning up the world around us. By adding these marvels of nature into a Grey Water Treatment Plant, grey water can be naturally treated and reused for certain applications such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
How to treat grey water at home?
Treating grey water for reuse is an intricate balance of oxygen, microorganisms, surface area and flow. Getting a waste water treatment specialist to assist you with an installation is advised.
How do you store and reuse GREY water?
Untreated Greywater must be used within 48 hours and cannot be stored. Only if grey water has been fully treated can it be stored.
How to make grey water drinkable?
Drinking grey water is NOT advised. It will need to be treated professionally through a strict treatment process which includes a mechanical filtration, a biological filtration, ultrafiltration, disinfection and finally, reverse osmosis.
Is grey water safe to drink?
Grey water is full of salts and chemicals from the cleaning products that have been used in your cleaning routine and is NOT safe for drinking.
Can you drink boiled GREY water?
No, It is not safe to drink boiled grey water. It contains a mixture of chemicals and salts from the products we use to keep ourselves and environment clean.
What are the disadvantages of greywater?
Left untreated and unused, within 48 hours grey water will become noxious and hazardous to human and animal life.
What are the benefits of GREY water reuse?
Reusing your grey water in your garden is a positive way of keeping your garden flourishing and a sanctuary for natural bird and insect life whilst keeping your water bill to a minimum. Up to 80% of your daily water usage can be reused in this way. You can also use TREATED grey water for topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.
What is the difference between black water and grey water?
Black water is considered to be toilet water. Grey water is considered to be the water we use to keep ourselves clean and comes from baths, showers, basins and laundry water.
How long can grey water sit?
Left untreated and unused grey water will become as toxic as sewage water within 48 hours.
Can grey water go on the ground?
Grey water can be used for irrigating your garden. It will get a natural dose of disinfection from the sun’s UV rays and plants absorb many of the nutrients found in grey water for example nitrates and phosphates. However, saturating only one spot of your garden with grey water could lead to a salt build-up. By making a conscious choice to use more ecofriendly products for your cleaning routine, you will lessen the salt and chemical load that could potentially build up in your garden.
Can you mix GREY water with rain water?
Rather keep your grey and rainwater separate. Grey water contains a concoction of salts and chemicals from cleaning products and should be used within 48 hours. If Grey water is added to your rainwater it will pollute your rain water and limit its application. Keep and use them separately.