Grey water Recycling

Grey water is defined as water that has already been used within the property, although this does not include toilet water. Grey water can thus account for between 50-80% of recycled "waste" water. This may be reused for other purposes, and is ideal for large landscape projects and gardens.

According to the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, "Unlike rainwater, grey water requires filtration to remove hair, skin and soap products from the water and chemical or biological treatment prior to reuse." They stress the need for adequate system maintenance to prevent health hazards, and their website includes a useful diagram explaining the dimensions of the potential risk, which could be useful for risk assessment of a grey water system.

Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
www.ciwem.org

Rainwater Harvesting
www.ciwem.org/resources/water/rainwater

The Environment Agency
www.environment-agency.gov.uk