Americans use more than 7 billion gallons of water for landscape irrigation and gardening every single day. Nearly half of that water goes to waste from system leaks and overwatering. Inside of the home, the average family of four generates about 200 gallons of greywater daily. Greywater is a term that refers to gently-used water that has not been overly contaminated. This includes water that goes down the drain after you shower, use bathroom sinks, or wash your clothing. Understand the benefits of having a greywater system in your home.
Reduce Energy
A greywater recycling system is a great way to reduce your water consumption and live more sustainably. Setting it up is also not nearly as intimidating as it might sound, and a skilled plumber can typically accomplish this for you in about a day. The recycling system will run the greywater through a filtration system located in your home and send that water back to be used in toilets or for watering plants.
Using a greywater system requires a few changes in how you use your water, but those changes can benefit both you and the environment. For example, if you are using recycled greywater to water the lawn, you will want to stay away from cleaning products or soaps that contain unwanted chemicals that could harm your garden. Instead, typical greywater recyclers use non-toxic products, which also decreases the quantity of toxic substances entering sewage treatment facilities.
Use in the Garden
Using recycled greywater on your lawn or garden will help non-food bearing plants grow healthier because recycled greywater contains nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen that your plants can use to grow.
Depending on how much water you use, and how often you use it, using a greywater recycling system in your home could cut your water use in half. If you are on a water meter, your reduction in water use also means that your water bill will be cut in half, as well.
Practices vary from region to region, but in some cases, recycling your greywater could help prevent sewage entering waterways untreated. This is helpful if you live in a densely-populated city that is struggling to meet their sewage system demands.
Water is our most important resource, and we absolutely have to conserve it. Recycling greywater is an excellent solution for anyone who is interested in reducing their carbon footprint.
Bonus to This System
As an added bonus, a home that is fitted in a way to reduce water consumption in half will eventually become an attractive option for people looking to buy homes in water-conserving areas. This could increase the value of your home over time.
Setting up a greywater recycling system may seem like an overwhelming project, but it’s one that has the potential to both help you live more sustainably and save money in the process.
Interested in installing a greywater system in your home? Contact a member of the Tritan Plumbing team to learn what that entails and how we can help!
