Day 287 – Greywater is water that has already been used, but can be filtered and recycled for a secondary use. Greywater typically comes from a shower, washing machine, or bathroom sink. Although plentiful in residential settings, commercial buildings have thousands of gallons a day that come from these sources.
Greywater is safe to use in select applications. Greywater is not the same as black water, which contains urine and fecal matter. Greywater also does not include any kind decomposed food. All of these can carry harmful bacteria.
The most common use of greywater in a commercial building setting is to flush toilets. Another common use is to collect greywater and use it to irrigate the surrounding landscaping. Further, greywater can be reused in the building’s cooling systems.
There are many benefits of using greywater. Using greywater for other purposes throughout a commercial building can reduce the draw on city water by nearly 75%. Greywater can help save money and reduce energy costs. Not only is less energy used to pump the water throughout the building, but energy bills are also reduced when greywater is used to help cool the building.
Greywater Action wants to more people utilize greywater and help reduce their water use.
“Greywater Action are a collaborative of educators who teach residents and tradespeople about affordable and simple household water systems that dramatically reduce water use and foster sustainable cultures of water. Through hands-on workshops and presentations, we’ve led thousands of people through greywater system design and construction, and work with policymakers and water districts to develop codes and incentives for greywater, rainwater harvesting, and composting toilets.” – Greywater Action
Any method that helps reduce our water use is good for the environment.
Tomorrow, celebrating fungus.
365 Ways to Save the Planet 