ARCHI-TECH TIPS EDITION 3 / FALL 2009

Horizon Archi-Tech Tips

Tip #3: Grey Water Recycling — is it really worth in the cost?

A wash water recycling system can be incorporated into modern home plumbing to save “grey water” — water from showers, tubs, laundry, even dishwashers — to be used again for other purposes, such as exterior landscaping irrigation or flushing toilets. However, there are many pitfalls, and in many cases, the water saving benefits do not make environmental or economic sense. It’s all about the context of the situation, factors being: the site, the size of the home, overall water consumption, the grade to the exterior drain field, materials, and the additional plumbing, treatment and pumping systems required. While practical in theory, the additional plumbing needed to install a grey water recycling system into an estate-sized building project could add up to hundreds if not thousands of feet of additional material, not to mention additional energy use, labor, equipment and maintenance problems. Many grey water recycling systems sit unused the first or second year after installation simply because the homeowner gets tired of maintaining them. But the sustainability conscious homeowner may still consider a grey water recycling system a worthwhile investment. Horizon recommends consulting with an experienced grey water systems engineer for recommendations on your specific client project. Otherwise, there are much more efficient and less costly water conservation systems to incorporate into a home, many of which are listed in tip #1.

For more information on grey water recycling systems, check out www.greywater.com, or ask Horizon about systems design. We can help.