Using Greywater To Save Fresh Water

‘Bringing green mainstream’ is what www.cleanlife.com.au is all about. This week their newsletter asks if people realise that about 60% of total waste water produced by the average household can be safely re-used around the house? Kristen Barker writes:

“What is greywater?

• Greywater includes any waste water that comes from showers, sinks/basins and the laundry
• It usually contains minimal amounts of nitrogen and bacteria, which is safe to use on some plants in the garden and for flushing down the toilet
• Kitchen and toilet waste water is called blackwater, as it contains bacteria which causes illness in humans

Why use greywater around the house?

• Water is a very limited resource, and using greywater allows us to reduce the amount of fresh water we consume
• Greywater is available all year round, and the average household produces up to 83,000L of greywater each year, so why not put it to good use!
• The WA government offers rebates of up to $500 or 50% (which ever is less) of the total purchase/installation cost for approved greywater re-use systems and products

Water pollution

• The quality of greywater varies greatly, and depends on what you wash down the drain
• To ensure you don’t pollute water of any kind, it is important to use natural or organic personal care products and detergents that are low in phosphorus and salt
• This is because toxic chemicals in many detergents and household products can pose a threat to ecosystems and groundwater supplies when they enter the water system

Precautions

• Greywater should not be used if it is contaminated with washing detergent high in phosphorus and salt, bleaches, disinfectants, fats (from soap) or oils
• It is recommended that children and pets do not have access to greywater
• Pooling of water, over watering and spraying into the air may increase the spread of bacteria, so mulch should be used to minimise evaporation and reduce the health risk
• Greywater can only be used within the boundaries of the property in which it is produced, meaning all run-off must be contained

COME CLEAN
Save water and our waterways with these grey ideas……….

We love the mildest soap on earth made by skin crusaders with just certified organic xtra virgin olive oil. skin crusaders follow a 15th century formulation and leave each bar to cure for at least 3 months, one bar lasts up to 60 washes and is the ideal choice for big and little kids, sensitive types and those who recycle greywater. www.saveourskin.com.au

The GardenAngel™ conditions grey water generated by your washing machine and produces garden-ready water. It’s economical, environmentally responsible, and unlike raw grey water, it will not harm your precious soil, plants or trees. PH is brought to a neutral range, salts are balanced up to 99.8% of phosphates are removed and water is finely filtered so it is suitable for use in a standard drip irrigation system. It has a small footprint, can be installed by the householder.

Looking for an environmentally friendly plumber? Visit www.greenplumbers.com.au.”

Food for thought…