LESS WATER
GOING DOWN
THE DRAIN
Solutions are available for gray water and rainwater recycling
Products are on the market that allow
rainwater and gray water to be reused
to ush toilets and irrigate landscaping.
Unfortunately, while water recycling
is allowed by the Uniform Plumbing
Code, it's still frowned upon by many
local codes.
e other impediment is cost. e Pontos GmbH subsidiary of Hansgrohe has a whole-house gray water recycling
system that it's selling in Europe, but it has no plans to bring
it to the U.S.
“For one thing, water is much too cheap in the United
States,” said Michael Hasenbeck, head of Pontos’ strategic
division in Schiltach, Germany. “While there is very substantial interest in the AquaCycle technology, the low water price
in the U.S. means that it would take far too long for a Pontos
AquaCycle facility to pay for itself.”
The second hurdle is the lengthy code
approval process, Hasenbeck said, and then
the e ort involved in developing a trained
dealer network.
It's only a matter of time and enough
drought until such systems are in use, so
this is how it works.
Gray water is processed in four phases
according to the process developed by
Pontos. First, a filter unit filters out larger
particles, such as bits of textile or hair.
The filter is electronically controlled and
reversed, with the remaining particles going into the sewer
system. Next, bio-cultures break down the dirt components
in the water in the pre- and main recycling chambers. e
water is pumped along in three-hour intervals. Sediments
are moved automatically into the sewer system. en, before
the water gets to the treated water storage tank, it ows along
a UV lamp and is sterilized. A er wards, it is odorless and can
be stored for the long term until it is used again.
e company has a number of packages that recycle from
900 to 12,500 liters per day or 238 to 3,300 gallons per day.
According to the company, the installed cost in a new sin-gle-family home in Germany is around $6,680, plus the cost
of a dual drain pipe system costing $600–$900. The dual
drain requirement, however, makes the system impractical
for retro ts.
Rainwater recycling is, perhaps more immediately practical and available for sale now in the form of
Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.'s Rainwater Harvesting System.
Commonly rainwater harvesting systems
are constructed of three primary segments,
according to the company: 1) a collection
method, 2) a conveyance component and
3) a storage facility. Rainwater harvesting
collection, conveyance and storage systems
can be incorporated into almost any existing site or building, although it is easier to
incorporate a rainwater harvesting system
into new construction.
It’s only a matter
of time and
enough drought
until such systems
are in use.
