Water Conservation And Recycling

When you are remodeling your bathroom why not also remodel your plumbing as well so that you can reuse all the water from your baths and showers.

Grey Water

Grey Water is recycled water that can be used to flush your toilet and water your flower and vegetable garden. And, if you combine all your 'grey water' from the rest of the house, you can not only save a lot of money on your water bill, but also save a lot of a precious natural resource!

In the Australian outback this reuse of water is an absolute must and a variety of systems have been developed to make the maximum use of grey water. As the average American uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water a day that's a lot of water going to waste, most of which can be reused. In fact, with a good domestic water recycling system, you can save about 40% or more of your current household water consumption! And, of course, if you conserve your water by not leaving faucets running, fixing leaks, choosing eco programs on your washing machine and so on, you can save even more. If you live in dry areas like the American South West diverting all your grey water outside will give you a flourishing garden without costing you extra or breaking any local water restrictions.

Types Of System

Some systems like the Brac system collect all the grey water and filter it before using it to flush the toilet. Others use either above ground holding tanks or below ground ones to collect all water and then filter it through several filter layers. Then by use of a pump or gravity you can connect it to your outside drip irrigation system and irrigate your garden.
A simple above ground system like the Aqua2Use GWDD from Greywater Systems is very affordable at around $600. However, larger and more sophisticated systems like the GT600 greywater treatment system from Nubian Water Systems do cost a lot more and need to be installed by a professional.

Natural Systems

There are also natural ways to clean up your grey water waste like reed bed systems. These use the natural power of sand and reeds to filter the water. This type of system is relatively inexpensive to install and will give you a great water feature for your garden. It will also allow you to have plenty of clean water for watering your plants, flowers and shrubs. The larger ones can even cope with industrial waste, so a small domestic one should have no trouble with your excess shower water!

Sink/Toilet Combos

Another solution to the water saving problem are some interesting and sleek bathroom fixtures combinations. These combine a toilet with a hand sink, allowing the water you use to wash your hands to flush your toilet. Roca's W+W, an all-in-one wash basin and water closet combination is a very elegant solution, although a pricey one at around $4,000!

By putting water recycling systems and conservation features in your bathroom or shower design you will be saving considerable money on your water bill. And perhaps more importantly, you will be helping to conserve precious water supplies.

Ask your local water conservation organization or eco-minded plumber for advice on how to put water conservation and recycling systems into your bathroom design or remodel.