What is greywater?
Grey water is the waste water stream from all sources other than the toilet and kitchen because this water contains sewage, oil, fats and food scraps which will not break down easily and will cause blockage in filters and pipes. Most houses can easily re-use Greywater from their laundry’s and bathrooms to water the garden.
On average an Australian household will use 700-800 litres of water per day. This equals about 300,000 litres of water a year, and 40% of that use is on gardens. Water is a very valuable, scarce resource in Western Australia, this is why any endeavour to reduce freshwater consumption or to reduce wastewater disposal is encouraged.
What do you need to know about Greywater?
- Any Greywater system must be approved by your local government and a licenced plumber is required to make any changes to the sewer system
- The Greywater needs to first pass through a filter and/or settling tank before reuse. The filter will remove any coarse materials (i.e. hair, soap, sand)
- Greywater cannot be used to water root-crop vegetables (i.e. carrots) but can be used on above ground food and fruit crops, lawn and other plants.
- An overflow safety device and diverter valve needs to be installed to divert Greywater back into the sewer line or into a wastewater treatment system.
You may also like
Achieving Sustainable Living
Considering the environment and sustainability in your house design is something that will not only make your home feel great, but will also reduce your day to day running costs. A comprehensive way of achieving this is through correct orientation and by implementing a design that is solar passive. Ensuring ...
The benefits of solar power
Looking for ways to reduce you electricity bill? Want to reduce you electricity bill by up to $800 a year? It's simple; all you have to do is install a Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System in your home today. Not only will you be saving money, but you will also ...
Rainwater tanks for your rural home
Reduce your mains water use Rainwater tanks are used to collect and store rainwater runoff typically from rooftops. Rainwater tanks are installed to store rainwater for later use and to reduce the mains water use for economic and environmental reasons. Stored water may be used for watering gardens, agriculture, flushing ...
