A New Challenge

Making every precious drop of water go further will be the challenge of this century. The focus of water conservation across Australia has broadened to include recycling - a water saving method that can be extremely effective in reducing household consumption and costs. The primary methods of water recycling include:

• rainwater tanks
• collecting and using grey water
• water reclamation

Rainwater Tanks

Rainwater tanks are an effective way to save water around the home.

All new homes constructed in the Hastings MUST meet BASIX requirements.

New rainwater tank installation guidelines including technical information for plumbers, and general information for home owners, can be obtained from Council's website or in print form from all Council offices.

Aside from the initial expense, using rainwater will not only keep water in our river, but leave dollars in your pocket.

They come in all shapes and sizes to suit the urban and suburban home and can be used for toilet flushing, in the laundry, on the garden and for hot water.

Of all the water in the world, only one percent is fresh water available for consumption. So it's hard to justify what we waste irrigating our garden and flushing our toilet.

Using rainwater for these things would make much more sense.

The potential benefits of installing a rainwater tank are plentiful. 

 

With a rainwater tank you'll:

• Collect most of the rain (around 80 %) that falls on to the areas of your roof you have connected to gutters and downpipes.
• Reduce your consumption of mains water and, in the long term, cut your water bill.
• Lower your impact on the environment by reducing your demand on mains water as well as the amount of stormwater runoff into rivers and oceans.

What is a first-flush device?

It diverts the first flush of rainwater that often contains dirt, leaves and debris.

You MUST install a first flush device to reduce the amount of sediment and other materials entering the tank and polluting the water.

Screens and gutter guards offer further protection by stopping insects and debris entering the tank.

 

Did you know?

For every square metre of roof on your home, 1mm of rainfall will result in one litre of water collected in your tank.

This means, the average 110sqm three bedroom home fitted with a rainwater tank, will collect 1100 litres of water during a 10mm rain event.

The installation of a 9000 litre rainwater tank can provide water for all non-potable water use supplied to your home, and all outdoor use, saving up to 60 percent on your water bills.

 If you plan to connect your home to rainwater, it is advisable you make contact with Council for the necessary requirements.

Rainwater tank guidelines are available from all Council offices.

 

Greywater

Greywater is the water produced from activities at home - showers, baths, spas, laundry tubs and washing machines.

Waste water from your toilet is called 'black water' and is not permitted for re-use. Water from your kitchen sink and dishwasher is also not recommended because it often includes grease and food particles and may have high pH levels.

Washing machines produce up to 25 percent of a household's waste water. In one week alone, you could pour up to 1000 litres of water down the drain. 

Benefits of Greywater 

1. Reduces the demands on our potable water supply
2. Helps reduce annual water bills
3. Provides an alternative water source for watering gardens in times of drought

 Disadvantages of Greywater

1. If not re-used correctly, greywater may have undesirable health and environmental effects
2. Installing a greywater system by a licensed plumber does incur a cost
3. On-going maintenance

 There are three ways of re-using greywater:

• Manual bucketing - you can collect small quantities of water in buckets for re-use on your garden or lawn. For example - take a bucket into the shower with you. No Council approval required.
• Diversion - greywater diversion devices re-direct greywater for use outside the home on gardens and lawn using sub-surface irrigation. No Council approval is required but there are conditions (*) that must be met. The system must also be installed by a licensed plumber.
• Treatment - greywater treatment systems can be installed for water re-use inside the home (ie: toilet flushing, washing machines) as well as for outside watering. Council approval is required and a licensed plumber must install the system.

* Domestic greywater diversion may be carried out without the prior approval of Council if:

a) it is carried out in accordance with the Plumbing and Drainage Code of Practice and,

b) a sewage management facility is not installed on the premises concerned, and

c) the following performance standards are achieved:

• the prevention of the spread of disease by micro-organisms
• the prevention of the spread of foul odours
• the prevention of contamination of water
• the prevention of degradation of soil and vegetation
• the discouragement of vermin and insects
• ensuring that persons do not come into contact with intreated sewage or effluent (whether treated or not) in their ordinary activities on the premises concerned
• the minimisation of any adverse impacts on the amenity of the premises concerned and surrounding lands

For more information go to: Approval required for Domestic Greywater Diversion

NSW Guidelines for Greywater Reuse in Sewered, Single Household Residential Premises (PDF)

 

Greywater Diversion - DO and DON'T

This information can be downloaded as a Fact Sheet from the NSW Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability website.

The website contains comprehensive information about using greywater.

Go to: NSW Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability

Do:

• install a greywater diversion device that has a WaterMark licence (previously a Plumbing Safety licence) and is listed by NSW Health.
• reuse diverted untreated greywater only for sub-surface irrigation (at least 10 cm below the surface of soil or mulch).
• install a greywater diversion device that incorporates some form of non-storage surge reduction (i.e. a tank to even out the sudden flow of greywater from a washing machine or shower to the garden irrigation).
• ensure the greywater diversion device is switched to divert greywater to the sewer after irrigation periods.
• undertake a water balance to estimate the amount of water that can be reused by the household.
• select garden-friendly detergents that are biodegradable and low in phosphorus, sodium, boron and chloride.
• select washing detergents that are low in salt - consider using a powder concentrate, or a liquid washing detergent.
• consider enriching the soil (e.g. adding compost) if irrigating with greywater, especially if located on dune sand or shallow rocky soils.
• monitor plant and soil response to greywater sub-surface irrigation.
• occasionally irrigate with drinking water to disperse salts from the soil (only appropriate during extended periods of zero rainfall).
• consider applying a soil rewetting agent every six months
• ensure that regular maintenance is undertaken, including cleaning out the greywater diversion device filter weekly
• and maintaining the sub-surface irrigation system.
• use irrigation drippers with large openings and use a filter to screen solids when using a diversion device.
• ensure that all pipes are marked or labelled to indicate greywater use.

Don't:

• leave a diversion device on all the time. Treat it like a garden tap and only reuse greywater when the garden needs watering. Greywater is for reuse not disposal.
• reuse toilet or kitchen wastewater.
• reuse greywater during rain.
• reuse greywater from the washing of nappies or soiled clothing.
• reuse greywater when a resident is sick, e.g. has diarrhoea.
• reuse greywater generated by cleaning in the laundry or bathroom, or when using hair dye or other chemicals.
• reuse greywater generated by washing rags used for painting or for maintaining machinery and vehicles.
• reuse greywater to top up rainwater tanks or swimming pools.
• store untreated greywater.
• over-water.
• irrigate with greywater if the household is located on an aquifer that is used for drinking water.
• reuse greywater on fruit, vegetables and plants that will be eaten raw or where fruit has fallen to the ground and could be eaten.
• use greywater to wash paths, driveways or cars.
• allow direct contact with or ingestion of the greywater.
• reuse greywater so that it flows into the streets or down stormwater drains.
• install drippers of a sub-irrigation system within one metre of boundary lines, buildings, inground pools and inground potable water tanks.
• let greywater go beyond the property boundary and cause a nuisance to neighbours.

Recycled Water

Recycling water is the process of taking effluent and further treating it to such a high level that it can be re-used for purposes including irrigation, car-washing and toilet flushing.

Using recycled or 'reclaimed' water reduces the demands on our potable water supply and the impacts on our rivers.

Go to - Water Reclamation