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How To Reuse Waste Water

Posted by Ship It Appliances Ltd on 13th Feb 2017

Minute read

The widespread availability of clean water to drink and wash with is an amazing privilege. However, it is also a huge source of waste. Every time you leave the tap on while brushing your teeth, flush a toilet or overfill a sink, it is drawing more water than we actually need through the system. Fortunately, we can limit this waste through careful re-use of the water in our homes.

Different Types Of Waste Water

While we might imagine that everything that goes down the plughole ends up in the same place, there are actually two different sorts of wastewater known as greywater and blackwater.

Greywater is the water you get from your showers, basins and taps. The water that drains from here may be dirty, but it is not nearly as dirty as blackwater.

Blackwater comes from your toilet. As such, it contains human waste and other contaminants which make it unsafe. The waste water from kitchen sinks and dishwashers should be considered blackwater, as when it drains it will contain a high concentration of chemical detergents, as well as the grease and food waste that might have been lingering on your pots.

How You Can Use Waste Water

It is not safe to drink the water you have just showered with. It is, however, safe to use it in other areas of your home and garden. You may need to do some investigating to determine where your greywater and blackwater supplies are being sent. In urban areas, you might find that you have a direct pipeline running from your house to the local sewage system. Fortunately, it’s possible to reuse greywater without getting into the pipes at all. You need only place a bucket in your shower the next time you use it.

The main problem is storing greywater. This is because if it is left standing for longer than twenty-four hours, harmful bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels. If you want to avoid water treatment, use your waste water as quickly as possible.

Laundry Piping

A washing machine is the most convenient source of greywater in most households. It allows you to divert the waste water to a new destination without the necessity of interfering with the existing plumbing. The machine will come with a pump which you can pipe directly outdoors to your plants, or you can simply fill up a bucket or watering can.

If you are looking for a starting point to water recycling, then this might be the best option.It is easy, and it will allow you to reap the benefits of water recycling, without having to worry about the problems of filtering and treating water during storage. Make sure to use a detergent that is low in phosphorus and salt for the best possible results in your garden.

Piping

If you are more interested in an automated greywater system, then you can pipe it directly from your home into your garden. A slotted pipe, or a specially built dripline will be able to slowly water your plants every time you use your sink.

You will need to ensure that the pipe extends away from the foundations of the house before the slotted section begins, in order to prevent leaking water from damaging your foundations. You will also want to cover the pipe with rocks so it does not get damaged the next time you do any gardening.

It is worth considering that the greywater supply will be sporadic. Larger plants and trees will be better equipped to deal with this, as they will be able to store more moisture for later use, as smaller plants, might be overwhelmed if the soil is oversaturated.

How This Will Affect A Vegetable Patch

Keep in mind, if you intend to water vegetables using untreated greywater, know that you will not be able to eat them raw, since the water might not be safe to drink. To be extra safe, it is best to avoid watering edible crops with greywater entirely. Collected rainwater will do the same job more safely.

Wastewater Affecting Ones Home

Greywater is clean enough to be reused to flush your toilet. It is hugely wasteful to flush clean, drinkable water. In order to store it you will need to invest in, or construct a storage tank with a built in filtration and treatment system that will prevent harmful microbes from growing inside.

Blackwater is more limited in terms of reuse potential. It can only be used outdoors, and only after it has been thoroughly treated and disinfected. Barring exceptional circumstances, it’s best to avoid trying to re-use blackwater entirely, as there are more health risks involved.

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