Water

Using products that contain healthier plant and mineral based ingredients and that are free of nasty chemicals can help improve the quality of your greywater, making it safer for re-use on your flower gardens, lawns and trees.

What is greywater?
Greywater is the household wastewater from the bathroom sink, bath, shower and washing machine. Greywater can be of very good useable quality and with proper systems in place can be safely re-used on flower gardens, lawns and trees. It can even be used to flush your toilet. Re-using greywater can help reduce demand on conventional water supplies and relieve pressure on sewage treatment systems, making it a great way to conserve water and save costs. While greywater may look ‘dirty’, it is a safe and useful resource if the appropriate precautions are taken. There are many benefits to be gained from re-using greywater and many different applications it can be used for. However since greywater can vary in quality and toxicity, it’s important to be well informed about how to correctly re-use it.

Benefits of re-using household greywater.
Reduce your fresh water use.
Water is one of our most precious resources, it is important to conserve it. In most developed countries, all water supplied to households is of drinking water standard, even though a very small proportion is actually used for drinking or food preparation.

Reduce the strain on water treatment plants.
Greywater makes up the majority of the wastewater stream, but has significantly fewer pathogens and pollutants than blackwater (water from the kitchen sink and toilet). Re-using greywater helps reduce a household’s septic system’s flow and extends its capacity and service life. This helps local treatment facilities to increase their water treatment effectiveness.

Reduce your household costs.
Re-using greywater helps save money the household water bill due to the reduced amount of freshwater and wastewater that needs pumping and treatment. Even in rural areas where water is free, there is a tendency to run out of water in the hotter months. Reusing greywater helps to prevent this.

Where to use greywater.
There are various ways to collect greywater, depending on where it comes from. Although most greywater is safe to reuse, care should be taken to monitor its use. We recommend a precautionary approach and consultation with the local governing authority before implementing any systems.