Here in Mesa, Arizona, water shortages and droughts are an ever-present threat. As a result, residents are often called upon to curtail their water use for long periods. However, those measures are only a temporary solution to a long-term problem. Experts predict that water shortages in our region will only continue to grow in the years to come.
For that reason, residents are going to have to embrace more comprehensive water conservation solutions. One of those solutions is water recycling. It’s a way of cutting overall water usage by reusing relatively clean water for other purposes around your home. Here’s everything you need to know about water recycling and how it can help you create an eco-friendlier home.
What Is Water Recycling?
As the name implies, water recycling refers to the practice of reusing certain types of wastewater. In your home, you use water for countless purposes every day. For example, when you shower, you’re using an average of 17.2 gallons of water. That water, most of which remains relatively clean, ends up going down the drain. When you wash dishes, you use an average of 15 gallons in just five minutes. And that’s just the beginning. Experts estimate that every household uses approximately 300 gallons of water every day.
Most of that water is what conservationists refer to as greywater. This is water that may have impurities or other substances in it, but nothing inherently harmful. It is that water that residential water recycling systems target. You can use that water safely for a variety of purposes, such as flushing toilets or watering plants. By recycling greywater, you could trim your household water usage by up to 40%!
The rest of the wastewater produced by your home is called blackwater. This is water that comes from your home’s toilets. Since it can be contaminated with various pathogens, most residential water recycling systems don’t even attempt to treat it. That water is what passes into your home’s septic system or to a municipal sewer if you’re connected to one.
How Does Greywater Recycling Work?
Believe it or not, recycling greywater is relatively easy. Since such water isn’t heavily contaminated, the system required to treat it for reuse isn’t complex. A typical greywater recycling system consists of three stages, which are as follows.
Wastewater Collection
The greywater recycling process begins with the collection of wastewater, typically in a large, buried surge tank. To accomplish this, you would have a separate plumbing system installed in your home that collects greywater. It would attach to sink drains, showers, bathtubs, dishwashers, and washing machines.
Filtration
Depending on how you would like to reuse your home’s greywater, it may require filtration to remove certain contaminants. For example, sediment, dirt, and hair would require removal before you could reuse the water. This is especially necessary if you’re going to reuse your greywater to fill toilets, where such contaminants could damage your plumbing. A greywater filtration system may also use specialized filters to remove things like soap and household cleaners from your greywater. That would make it safe for uses like watering your lawn or garden.
Redistribution
After filtration, the next step in a greywater recycling system is redistribution. At this stage, the now-usable water gets pumped to where you need it. And when the treated water runs out, the system automatically reverts to using your home’s water supply instead.
The Benefits of Residential Water Recycling
Although conserving water is the most obvious benefit that comes from residential water recycling, it’s not the only one. Another benefit of greywater recycling is that it reduces wear and tear on your septic system or the public sewer system. If your home relies on a septic system, using a water recycling system is especially helpful. It can extend your septic system’s lifespan and reduce your repair costs by preventing breakdowns.
Water recycling can also be beneficial for your home’s lawn and garden. Residential greywater often contains nutrients that improve soil quality and help plants thrive. Plus, having a wastewater recycling system would allow you to water your plants even during water restrictions. So, you’d never have to watch your garden wither and die for lack of water.
The Future of Residential Water Recycling
It’s worth pointing out that the technology already exists to allow you to recycle virtually all of your home’s water. In fact, to see that technology in action, look no further than to the International Space Station (ISS). On the ISS, there’s a wastewater recovery system that allows for the reuse of 98% of the station’s water supply. While that’s not something that you’d need at home, it serves as an excellent example of what’s possible.
On top of that, the city of Mesa is already using wastewater recycling to bolster its water supplies. To do it, they trade treated wastewater for an additional allotment of freshwater from the Colorado River. They accomplished this via an agreement with the Gila River Indian Community, which trades one acre-foot of recycled water for a 0.8 acre-foot of freshwater. Plus, the city also uses treated wastewater to feed several aquifer recharge projects. Those projects help to ensure freshwater supplies for our community for years to come.
However, if you wanted to retrofit your home for a more complete water recycling system, you could do it. There are already multiple companies that make residential water recycling systems capable of reclaiming greywater and blackwater. Most of them use specialized anaerobic organisms to break down pathogens in contaminated water. The resulting water then goes through a multi-stage filtration process to make it safe for reuse. Current residential systems can’t yet produce potable water, but they can give you a near-endless supply of non-potable water. They allow you to reuse virtually every drop of water your home consumes. You could even combine that type of system with a rainwater collection system to achieve almost total water independence. Here in Mesa, it is legal to collect rainwater on your property, and doing so will likely become common soon.
Your Local Water Treatment Experts
If equipping your home with a water recycling system sounds like a good idea to you, Delta Mechanical can help. We specialize in residential water treatment systems. We also offer repiping, leak detection, and water heater installation and repair services. We’ve been a fixture in Mesa for over 30 years and have a spotless reputation for offering quality services. That’s why we have such a long list of glowing customer reviews. Plus, we offer both residential and commercial services, so we can be your one-stop plumbing shop.
We are also a Home Depot Home Services Authorized Service Provider and a Better Business Bureau-accredited business with an A+ rating. We even offer financing options on approved credit to help you pay for any larger plumbing projects you require. So, if you’re interested in plumbing solutions, call the experts at Delta Mechanical right away!
