How to Reduce Your Water Bill Using Grey Water Systems

Water shortages are becoming critical in many parts of the world, necessitating drastic measures in order to reduce the drain on precious fresh water supplies.
One country suffering the effects of severe water shortages is Australia, which has been in the grip of drought for a decade, resulting in a decrease of one percent of the A$940 billion (US$789 billion) economy, according to an article by Rob Taylor and Michael Byrnes published by Reuters News Service on April 20, 2007.

"It is a grim situation and there is no point in pretending to Australia otherwise. We must all hope and pray there is rain," Australia's Prime Minister John Howard cautioned at a news conference held at Parliament House in Canberra.

The truth of the matter is that fresh water is becoming scarcer as the world's water needs increase. It is a matter of planetary responsibility for every citizen to recycle and reuse the fresh water they consume.

Luckily, the technology that can facilitate this critical change is currently available, viable and economically feasible. Let's look at two options; using greywater and catchwater systems to recycle household water.

Using Greywater Systems

Since 80 percent of the residential water used (dish, shower, sink, and laundry water) is used once and then goes down the drain, you are wasting water if you only use it once.

Once used water (greywater) can be safely and efficiently recycled to be reused primarily to irrigate your landscape.

Using a greywater system offers multiple benefits including: saving money on your water bill; reducing your fresh water usage; reducing wear and tear on a failing septic tank; decreasing the amount of chemicals used to treat the water you pour on your fruit and vegetable gardens; reclaiming nutrients in the water to re-invigorate the soil; and increasing the level of clean, local ground water.

Flush toilet water is not used in the greywater system; it is sanitized in a separate containment area and then sent to the gardens and lawns.