Drain Water Recycling Saves Money and the Planet

Drain water recycling is an environmentally friendly recycling practice that is extremely popular in other countries, but is just beginning to take root in the United States. Drain water, or grey water, is the water that goes to waste after showers, dishwashing and other daily tasks. While this water is not clean enough for consumption, it can certainly be used for other household tasks through drain water recycling to save both and reduce overall water usage.

While there are several different ways to go about drain water recycling, one of the most effective is to have specialized plumbing solutions called grey water systems. While these are costly, if you have many uses for the drain water recycling runoff, this could be a good choice. These systems can be built into homes during initial construction or can be installed later on by someone who is a plumbing professional.

These systems are generally used for the irrigation of larger lawns and gardens and come with holding tanks, grey water pipes, outdoor spigots and occasionally are piped into the toilets to use for flushing, rather than wasting fresh water. Many of these drain water recycling systems also include a filtration system to remove any large waste or foreign objects from the water before it is reused.

Though drain water recycling systems can be expensive, they will eventually pay for themselves with the money saved on water bills and in the wear and tear on underground septic systems. Though water is not a terribly high utility bill, by reusing grey water, many have found that their bills have been cut in half. Additionally, those with private septic systems will see the life of their septic system extended, as it must handle less of a load each day. These expenses may not seem to be terribly large, but they can add up over time, making a grey water system extremely worth the expense.

Drain water recycling is something that anyone who regularly waters their lawn, cares for a garden or even fills an outdoor pool should consider. By reusing water that is no longer potable, but is not hazardous to humans or the environment, water consumption can be cut nearly in half. Even those that cannot afford to have an entire grey water system built into their homes can find low-cost alternatives that are almost as effective. Even small scale drain water recycling can make a difference in the amount of water that is used in the home, benefiting both the planet and the pocketbook.