The 2 Most Basic Choices for a Residential Wastewater Recycling System
Posted on: 29 January 2016
To cut down on your water bill and to use less of this natural resource, you may want to consider a type of wastewater recycling system for your home. This system will collect the water that runs into your home's sinks and bathtubs and then allow you to reuse it in some capacity. This water that you collect from the sinks and tubs is typically called grey water.
These recycling systems can be very basic and may be found in caravans and motor homes, whereas others are very complicated and expensive and hook up to your home's plumbing systems. Note a few factors about the two most basic of these systems so you can determine the best choice for your home.
1. Grey water filtration systems
Grey water filtration systems are a special type of filter that is attached to the plumbing pipes of your home. When you have water run down a drain, it is collected and run through these strong filters and then typically sent to your hot water heater. The filters are not often used to create clean drinking water but the water that runs through them is clean enough for showering and for washing your dishes.
When choosing this type of system, you need to determine the amount of water you use in the drains and sinks every day and then shop accordingly. Choosing a lightweight system that cannot handle the amount of water you use can mean having to replace the filters too often and putting too much wear and tear on the internal parts of the filter.
Some filters also work to remove certain contaminants in particular. If your home's water is prone to having lead or nitrogen, choose a filter that removes these particles. You also typically need to have a professional plumber install these filters as they are connected to the home's plumbing pipes directly.
2. Unfiltered grey water systems
An unfiltered grey water system hooks up from the drains in your sinks and tubs directly to the toilet tank. This allows the toilet tank to be filled with this water without any filtering, and without having to use clean water from the city's water supply. Because you are only using the grey water for flushing the toilet, you don't need to run it through any type of filter.
This system usually also needs installation by a professional plumber since it means installing new pipes to redirect water from the drains. However, it doesn't involve filters you need to change or any parts other than the new pipes or tubing that connects the drains to the toilet intake valve. This makes it affordable and easy to use.
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