What Is Greywater Used For? Top 5 Uses

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What Is Greywater Used For: Top 5 Uses

What is greywater used for in your commercial properties? If the answer is “nothing,” buckle up because we’re about to tell you about greywater uses and how to reduce your water bill and run your property more sustainably with greywater harvesting systems.

What Is Greywater?

Greywater is the water that comes from showers, sinks, washing machines, and tubs. Unlike tap water, contaminants such as residual cleaning agents and soap, grease, and dirt are likely. Greywater is distinct from blackwater as it contains no feces or food waste.

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How Do You Use Greywater?

Greywater must be treated before using it for any application. At a minimum, it must be filtered for subsurface irrigation. Greywater can also be used for spray irrigation, toilet flushing, cooling tower make-up, and other non-potable applications, but it must be filtered and sanitized properly first.

A highly efficient greywater system is a complex device that uses the following processes to treat the water:

• Pre-filtration
• Final filtration
• Sanitation (UV, chemical, or a combination of both)

It’s challenging to design and install greywater systems without experience, but we have a simple hack—call Water Harvesting Solutions (Wahaso), and we’ll create a custom system for your property.

The Benefits of Using Greywater Systems

Potable water is a valuable resource and one we need to conserve. Using water more than once makes good fiscal and environmental sense. There are several benefits to doing so, including:

• Conserving water: Conserving water is important year-round, not just during droughts. Protecting our resources makes sense in a world with significant climate change.
• Saving you money: By using your water twice, you’ll see a significant drop in your water bill.
• Good for your town: Making water potable is an expensive process. Using less potable water saves your municipality money that they can then spend on something else. You also lighten the load on the sewerage network.

Is It a Viable Option for Businesses?

dentifying and harvesting greywater uses is a practical, cost-saving tool for commercial properties, especially residential properties that use a great deal of water. An office building usually won’t have the same benefit as they have no showers or large-volume laundry to produce enough greywater.

Is It Legal to Use Greywater?

In drought-prone states, authorities encourage you to use this resource. However, this does not automatically apply across all states. We recommend checking the regulations in your town for specifics, which may state that you may only use treated greywater in some cases.

How Can You Use Greywater?

There are several uses for greywater. Here are the top five options.

1. Toilet Flushing

Toilet flushing is ideal for reusing the water, but you must use a proper treatment system before redirecting the water to the toilet. It’s essential to use treated water, as toilets can spray small droplets of water that can be inhaled when flushed. Proper sanitation is not only important for health reasons, but untreated water may leave a messy residue inside the tank and bowl. This is not only unsightly, but may create an odor if the fixtures are not flushed often.

2. Irrigation

Water from the shower is an ideal source for irrigation. With proper filtration and sanitation, treated greywater can irrigate lawns, planting beds, or any other variety of landscaping. Greywater can also irrigate edible plants, but proper treatment is required. Any greywater used for subsurface irrigation should not include edible plants.

3. Cooling Tower Make-Up

Using recycled water in your cooling tower can save commercial enterprises significant money. In some towns, the municipalities allow greywater harvesting used for this application for this reason precisely. Businesses benefit through lower costs, a more sustainable company image, and boosting the town’s coffers. If you’re a commercial property owner, call our team to receive an estimate on how much the switch will cost you and how it will reduce your expenses in the future.

4. Vehicle Washing

Any property with a supply of greywater that also has a vehicle washing station on site can benefit from harvesting that greywater. It’s important to filter the greywater properly to ensure that there are no abrasive particles from products like exfoliants. It’s also important to sanitize the water because of the potential for inhalation during the wash process.

5. Washdown

Treated greywater from washing machines, baths, or showers can also be used for various washdown processes. Examples are decks, patios, loading docks, manufacturing floors, etc.

Conclusion

That answers the question, “What is greywater used for?” Now it’s up to you to consider the primary benefits of this type of system for your property. The team at Wahaso Water Harvesting Solutions can assist you in deciding whether this is the correct option for your needs. We can walk you through the benefits and potential cost savings of harvesting water. Find out how affordable it is to build a custom system that works like a dream by calling (800) 580-5350. We provide you with a free estimate and will be there for you from start to finish.

Contact us today for a Free Greywater Quote