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right-click to download this animation in Flash: 62 KB right-click here to download it as animated GIF image: 440 KB Summary in English in mp3 - (2.5 MB)
Grey-Water Recycling History and Development: The
"Water Closet" or WC, the latrine using water to flush the toilet was invented about 150 years ago. Since then solutions have
always been sought for not to waste clean water by flushing the toilet, or at least to limit the water quantity used for this
purpose. The grey-water systems used in the past were using grey-water tanks in the basement or
in the garden. One of the recent systems built within an EU project is the Aquasave Project documented on CD which was carried out in
Another example which is
already more compact, is the "AquaCycle" the details of which
can be seen on the page: www.swamp-eu.org/pub/sample.pdf
PONTOS and AquaCycle are trade-marks
of the HANSGROHE group, who developed
a household grey-water system, recycling the used water from the bathroom to feed the flushing toilet, to use the recycled
water in the washing machine and to use it for cleaning and to water the garden. Every important system element is built into
one and the same unit, which is very practical and enables easy instalment.
Another system is the GEP IGM system, conceived
for houses.
GEP Umwelttechnik GmbH :IGM Graywater-Recycling-Equipment
Another similar but even smaller system is the: Twin-Flow, a trade mark of the German
www.soltech.de company. This system uses already a smaller tank of about 500 litres. Until today, this
is the simplest and smallest household grey-water system in production. Here also, every important system element is built
into one and the same unit making the system easier to install in the house. Compared to the complicated and very costly system
of the AquaSave Project this is much simpler which makes it more available to a larger public. In the USA hundreds
of thousands of houses have grey-water system, the building of which costs between USD.10 thousand (if built in at the time
of constructions planned beforehand) and as much as 50 thousand (if the system has to be installed by converting the whole
building). Building in a compact system like Hansgrohe or Twin-Flow, the costs can be considerable reduced. Here are two pictures presenting Twin-Flow:
The compact systems are, however still too
large and costly, when we need a grey-water system in a simple, smaller flat. The majority of people live in flats, and not
in detached, or semi-detached houses. The systems presented above are excellent solutions, but they are not readily available
for the population living in flats. We must find a solution to offer the opportunity to use grey-water systems to everybody,
also to those people, including myself, who live in relatively smaller flats, where there is no room to accommodate 500 litres
tanks. We must also consider the cost element. A smaller and simpler and cheaper solutions must be developed, making it available
for the public. The problem to be solved:
- Where to store a larger quantity of water, which is
about 30 times more than the minimum quantity needed for one toilet flushing? The biggest problem is storage, then treating.
Some thrifty people put aside the washing water in buckets, so that they could use it to flush the toilet. I adore those people,
because they save not only for themselves, at the cost of a lot of extra work invested in "bucketing", but they also save
water to the other people, to all of us. Bucketing raises also the question: is it hygienic? Definitely not. And even if the
buckets are covered the bacteria is multiplying so quickly, that after two days the water goes stale, and smells – if
not treated with disinfectant. The majority of us is not willing to do this extra household chore. So where to store grey-water?
- We have the toilet flushing tank. - Ok, but it can store only a limited quantity of water
which is enough only for one flushing. Or if it has a double-actuator button, like the one Geberit [ - But how can we store in a toilet flushing tank much
more water, say 30 times more water than the water quantity necessary for one flushing? - The answer to this solution is a larger tank. We pour much more water into the tank, while, at the same time, we fix the floating buoy at a height where
it normally stands, so the extra water covers the floating buoy, thus the floating
buoy becomes an under-water plunger buoy. - Ok, but how will it work? - The answer to the problem is a "stick" which connects
the underwater plunger buoy with the tap-water opening valve. This stick is going through the greywater column, all the way
long to reach the tap water opening valve. In the fully electronic version, this becomes a "virtual
stick" as it is replaced by water sensors and electromagnetic water valves connected to the electronic control unit. The most interesting thing is that this stick which offered
us the solution is hardly used, since due to teh fact that much more grey-water is produced daily within a household than
is needed to cover the water quantity needed for flushing the toilet. So we borrowed something to resolve the problem, and the
borrowed thing in not really needed in the end. Here your are, the simplest, smallest, cheapest grey-water system, which
is capable to accommodate, store, treat (filtering, disinfecting) and to distribute, feed and measure grey-water in much larger
quantities than necessary for one single flushing, using only one single tank automatically :
This is the "smallest grey-water system" ever having the following characteristics and
advantages in comparison to the larger systems presented at the beginning: . 1. Simplicity : this can be produced by using a simple barrel of about 200 litres, the filters are two mechanic filters, and between
the two filters a solid disinfectant cake is placed, similar to the WC blocks put into urinaries, or hung on the sides of
toilet bowls in little plastic holders. 2. Easy to install: the tubing is from rubber hose or
plastic hose. 3. Not only inexpensive, but definitely CHEAP: any-one can make one at home, "Do it yourself". 4. Easy maintenance: all you need to do is to check regularly the filters and to clean them if necessary, and to replace the disinfectant
if it is used up (about once in a fortnight). 5. 6. Fire extinguishing water reserve: in case of fire, you will have some fire extinguishing water, about 100 to 200 litres. 7. Multiple supply: One grey-water tank or washing machine can supply the flushing water to 1, 2, 3 or more toilets. However the simplest single tank version can be used only if you live in a duplex, i.e.
a two-storied flat, and you have the bathroom and the washing machine upstairs, and the single-tank grey-water system downstairs. If this is not the case, you need a pump to forward the grey-water to the tank. For this,
there is another version, when the tank is using the washing machine, as in the cartoon you can see above. You can also opt
for the version when the single-tank system is equipped with its own pump unit and Central Processing Unit to coordinate the
grey-water recycling activities. This is illustrated by the picture below: Another very important characteristic is : this is an instant system, which does not
store longer grey-water than a few hours. (the previously presented systems store too much grey-water for too long, which
raises many problems) — because of its mechanism, and given its little size and capacity, this tank uses
up almost immediately the grey-water produced in the household. This is a striking difference in comparison to the larger
systems. The grey-water surplus is flowing through the overflow orifice and overflow tube directly into the sewage canal.
Product diversification: The larger systems and the small ones have their different application fields. They are all needed
likewise. Larger systems have the advantage of using up all the grey-water produced in the household. The smallest system
does not keep the grey-water surplus and sends it to the sewage canal. This can be considered as wasting some of the grey-water.
However, its other advantages, like cost efficiency and simplicity makes up for this little disadvantage. While the larger
systems are better for individual houses, the smallest system has its market in the smaller flats. Both types are needed.
The different systems are complementary, and there is a market for both larger and smaller types, the latter being with or
without washing machine, each type satisfies a different need in the market. The smallest system is patented (pending) only in the Manufacturers are wanted ! For all other additional info, consult the text clicking the I wish I had a grey-water recycling washing machine! If you know where to buy one, please let me know! I need one and I want to buy one! Thank you. Grey-water recycling opens promising prospects
While the Kyoto-agreement on the environmental protection front means a serious challenge
to most economies because of the restrictions that it can impose on the industries one single positive development in innovation
might bring about noticeable improvements in sustainable development and environmental protection at the same time helping
to achieve the goals of the agreement. A good example for such improvement in the past was the introduction
of the injection type engine which reduced considerably the fuel consumption of the cars.
The technical solution which is presented here is an example to show again that sustainable
development is not a contradictory expression and industrial growth does not necessarily imply increased pollution.
Today when we enjoy the most incredible high-tech modern conveniences of the space research
era like the mobile phone containing dozens of millions of transistors enabling us even to watch TV on our cell-phone and
surf the internet, some primitive problems remain stubbornly still with us endangering our future. Such an unresolved case
is the example of the flushing toilet for which we waist potable fresh water and this makes up about one third in household
water consumption.
To resolve this one and a half century-old problem a trivial and obvious solution has been
found. Some thrifty and ingenious people mainly house wives collect the washing water with buckets and flush the toilet with
that used washing water which is called grey-water. Bucket flushing is an arduous and inconvenient chore and only few people
care to toil with it. In addition it is not very hygienic since bacteria multiply so quickly in grey-water that if not treated
it will turn stale and will become black-water in just three days. Therefore in those countries where grey-water reuse is
general everyday practice there are grey-water laws which stipulate under what conditions grey-water can be reused. The basic
requirements are disinfection and filtration.
The strictest grey-water law is that of California. In semi-arid places where precipitation
is scarce, various grey-water systems are installed to ease the water shortage to some extent. However these systems are complicated
and rather expensive. Besides, each individual system must be approved by the local authorities. The solution to this 150
years old problem is the automation of bucket flushing that is to collect house-hold grey-water and following filtering and
disinfecting it is stored in the grey-water tank on top of the washing machine from where the central electronic control unit
feeds the grey-water in pre-selected quantities for flushing the toilet.
The introduction of this eco-civilized modern-convenience the Greywater Recycling Washing
Machine will surely give a lasting impetus to economy and society alike. This will be an important step in the conservation
of nature by introducing this new still infinitely simple solution which also means a new generation of washing machines.
The technical novelty is so simple you could have invented it yourself.
Putting this new generation of washing machine into production then to commercial circulation
will mean to make the grey-water system available also for those individuals who are living in relatively smaller flat or
even in a bed-sitter with fairly limited spaces. Up till know the grey-water systems were available only to relatively few
people living in individual or semi-detatched houses and who could afford such an
investment. The greywater recycling washer practically does not consume or use up water it just borrows
it before forwarding it to other uses and it is sure to give a long-lasting impetus to the economy to industry and commerce
alike. Thus we can expect a boost in industrial output and commercial turnover and consequent improvement in the employment
rate contributing to a general growth of the economy which is nothing less than making the "sustainable development" become
realty. Do you remember the advanteges of full swing economy? If you have seen the cartoon about the greywater recycling washer
then you surely understood its simplicity in all probability. Still let me underline the multiple gains that it assures forcasting
a constructive and cooperative way forward for the whole society.
First of all its advantages to the individual by saving one third on water and sewage bills.
This in itself is the overwhelming decisive marketing factor. No more reasoning is necessary to justify the need for such
a product. Still there are quite a few other justifying factors.
Secondly the advantages to nature to water conservation to our environment which is a double
advantage in itself by rationalizing on water consumption and by cutting on sewage output - which is another of those burning
issues of environmental protection and this is nothing else than real sustainable development.
All these benign developments and effects are based on a natural and common need of both the
individual and the society unanimously and in perfect harmony without any side effect or any disadvantage with no harm to
anyone not hurting anybody's interests in the name of rationalizing in the positive sense enhancing efficiency and effectiveness
while at the same time economizing on our natural resources without
imposing any restriction on anyone or on consumption. All that means to give free way to development by boosting the economy and improving our societies by contributing to environmental protection awareness. This is not just the ray of light at the end of the tunnel. Now we can really take our destiny
in our hands by seizing the opportunity to create a better world for ourselves for our children for our families for our community
to everybody's advantage where everybody is a winner. All these facts provide sufficient ground for embarking on this project.
As one of my good teachers taught us "Culture begins with the toilet". Bearing this motto
in mind we should also care about the water we waste on flushing our dirt down the drain. Even dogs when nature calls after
finishing they make some instinctive movements trying to hide their excrement as it is programmed in their genes.
Beyond all instincts and programmed genes humanity has more than 5 thousand years old civilizations
and unprecedently developped knowledge based societies, it must be imperative for us not to neglect the cumulative negative
effects caused by the distructive human behaviours.
We must not ignore such a thought-after solution which is in high demand for this more than
150 year-old unresolved issue on how not to waste fresh water on flushing the toilet. This is a historical opportunity
to seize in order to reverse the environmental deterioration. This is our responsibility. Our future is at stake. Everything
is at hand to make the best of this opportunity.
If you hold that these lines are forecasting naïvely an exaggeratingly idealistic scenario
seen through pink sunglasses please do not forget the present harsh reality of five million jobless in Germany or the
grim situation in France filled with extreme social tensions where 40,000 cars were set on fire in one single year in 2005.
Even the United States of America is full with social tensions of all kinds especially after the
turmoil following September the 11th also considering the fact that the war in Iraq starts to divide the nation. Only after re-thinking today's socio-economic situations will you understand that I really
mean genuine positive effects triggered by the introduction of such a simple technical novelty.
Wherever you live think of the economical situation of your country. Does your economy performe
so well that no improvements are needed? Or are the sought-after easy improvements really welcome? I can not imagine
anything simpler than the grey-water reusing washing machine.
The European Union is trying very hard to improve the present stagnating economic situation.
Still the Lisbon initiative has not produced any spectacular break-through yet. We are far from it. Also it is to be seen
what the "Plan D" meaning Democracy Dialogue and Debate will bring about. Each and every opportunity should be grasped to
improve the present grim economic situation.
There is an old saying "not to throw away the child with the bathing water" - nowdays even
bathing water has become so precious that we must not throw away the bathing water itself because we can use it to replace
precious drinking water. And also it is in the interest of the child because we should think about the future as well, about
the future that we bequeath to the generations coming after us. The media is echoing with the threat of climate changes and
global warming and reports about catastrophic tsunamies cyclons and forest fires in a lot of countries. The media is buzzing
with reports about the burning issue of water shortage.
Now here is a solution which can ease water shortage and boost the economy at the same time.
I do believe that in spite of the staggering problems surrounding us, we do have the necessary insight and wisdom to choose
"the road ahead". All the more so, since there is not a single negative counter-argument our any counter-interest to bump
against.
The road is safe and free, you can engage high gear. See beyond the horizon.
GE proudly boasts that 7 billion litres of water is desalinated daily using GE Water Technology. It
must be acknowledge, this is really a big achievement. This also shows how big the water shortage problem is. Still, would
it not be useful to save, at the same time, 35% on water consumption and waste water output by using the grey-water reusing
washing machine? Anyway, much more water is desalinated daily, using other technologies, there are innumerable water
desalinating plants (and organizations) throughout the world. Unfortunately, there are no EU directives encouraging saving on water. But there is an EU directive
stipulating that waste water output must be reduced by the member states gradually, each year. The introduction and spreading
the of the grey-water reusing technologies will largely contribute to the success of that EU directive on waste water output.
Apart from this improvement, on the final analysis, the biggest achievement of all will be the long lasting impetus that the
progress of greywater reuse will give to the economies, during the long years, as it will become general, contributing to
the sustainable development. An earlier version of the invention can be seen in detail, with description on the following website: www.geocities.com/paulokros/ . There are four basic versions of the single tank greywater recycling system: 1. the tank alone, with mechanical operation, and eventually connected to the stronger than usual water
pump of the washing machine; 2. fully electronic tank provided additionally with electronic control unit and pump and electronic
water sensors and electro-magnetic water valves (enabling operation when greywater is not flowing into the tank with gravity
free-fall). 3. the mechanical operated tank on top of a washing machine 4. the tank on top of a washing machine with fully electronic operation. This diversification makes it possible that every region, according to its different development level
could make use in some form of this new greywater reusing techniques. In less developed regions the mechanically operating
tank can be used, which fits into the given level of the technological environment. Useful links: California gray water law (pdf)] http://eboals.bologna.enea.it/ambtd/aquasave-doc/aquas-ing.htm http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/law/index.htm
The Aquasave Project documented on CD The European Commission, in the framework of the life-environment action (Life 97 Environment
/IT/000106), financed 50% of total costs. This is excellent educational stuff and is worthwhile to download. After download,
if necessary, it will want to install QuickTie 4, (your may have already a higher version) then you can choose English or
Italian. The following 18 pages are copied from the CD. Enjoyable carefully chosen informative literature. Definition of grey-water
according to the California gray water law:
Graywater is untreated waste water which has not come into contact with toilet waste. Graywater includes waste water
from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs, or an equivalent discharge as approved
by the Administrative Authority. It does not include waste water from kitchen sinks, photo lab sinks, dishwashers, or laundry
water from soiled diapers. The aim: I want to use the grey-water to flush the toilet, in order to save the fresh water quantity wasted on flushing the
toilet.
The problem to be solved: Where and how to store a larger quantity of grey-water produced in our household? In an ordinary
household, hundreds of litres of grey-water is produced daily by washing (washing machine, bath, shower).
The solution to the problem: one single tank which is capable to STORE, TREAT (filtering
and disinfecting), and PORTION the greywater for toilet flushing, in full compliance with the greywater laws, while also assuming
the traditional role of a toilet flushing tank.
The present infinitely simply system solves all these
tasks with one‑single‑tank, where one‑and‑the‑same‑tank meets all these requirements, respecting all hygienic rules, in a closed system, with the required security measures.
A basic principle is to reuse grey‑water nearest in place and time, to where it was generated, i.e. within the confines of the household.
The question: where to store so much water? I want to keep it as simple as possible.
Imagine a simple barrel of about 200 litres capacity. Similar sized boilers are in everyday use in many
households. This barrel serves as a combined giant toilet flushing tank due to the very simple mechanism it holds. When you
consider a simple toilet tank, with floater, just imagine that the height of the tank is increased to be ca. five times of
its original height. But the floater is blocked at the original height with a limiter element. You can pour a lot more water
into that higher tank. But how will it work? Simple! Fasten a long rod onto the floater, which goes through the water column
above the floater and it rises over the water to reach the water valve above the water, in the top of the tank. When the floater
goes down, just as in the ordinary toilet flushing tank, it opens the tapwater inlet valve to fill the tank. In our higher
giant tank the floater works in the same way, with the help of the long actuating rod fixed onto the floater and also to the
tapwater inlet valve in top of the tank. However, in practice this happens rarely, since much more grey-water is produced
in a household than the water quantity which is needed to flush the toilet. In addition, rainwater can also arrive into the
tank. Basically, only washing water is directed into the tank, it is enough for this purpose. So clean freshwater very rarely
comes into the tank, only if the tank is completely emptied. The system is in continuous use, something is always happening,
it is always working. There is almost always somebody in the family who uses either the toilet, or the bath or shower, or
the washing machine, or it is raining, so (grey)water is coming and going all the time, so the greywater in the thank in moving
and stirring constantly.
Up to know the simplest grey-water reusing system
was the "Twin‑flow", produced by the excellent German www.soltech.de company: Please,
look at the picture in detail, and compare the different elements. The system on the picture is a perfect compact system,
and merits acknowledgement and appreciation for its excellent solutions and engineering precision work. If you can appreciate
this, you will understand the simplicity of the single‑tank system presented by the cartoon, as above.
Please, also watch the report on the AquaSave
project, and compare its technical complicacy and its high costs involved in the project. Still, that project, too, merits
our highest acknowledgements, because it is seeking a solution to the water shortage problem, and in addition, it is excellently
documented, and the material is a perfect educational material on water management. I can only show all my respect and recognition
to the excellent scientific and engineering experts who implemented that difficult experiment in What is grey water, and how a change in human consumption behaviour can improve the situation of water shortage
1. How much water do we have?Though more than two thirds of the Earth surface is covered by water, 97.5 percent of this is salt water.
From the remaining 2.5%, 1% is forming ice in the North-Pole, and another percent is frozen in ice in the South-Pole. The
remaining half percent can qualify as potable water, but about 90% of that half percent is stocked underground, which is not
directly available. This means that less than one thousands of all the water is potable water on the surface of the Earth,
but the distribution of that is not according to the population needs. Brazil, for instance, is rich in water, but where there
is water, the population is scarce, and where the population is dense, water is scarce. In about 80% of the land, water is
in short supply. 2.
Global Water problems
a). Deforestation : by radically reducing the vegetation, the potable water is running off quickly to the rivers and seas and will become
salt water. Deforestation contributes largely to the spreading of desert areas and to climate changes. b). Spreading of desert : is partly the consequence of deforestation, i.e. inadequate human behaviour, partly the consequence
of climate changes. c). Climate changes: is a consequence of uncontrolled industrial expansion, causing extensive emission of gases like sulphur
dioxide, carbon dioxide and other toxic gases, and a consequence of excessive deforestation. d). Water pollution : Large ocean going vessels pour their sewage into the water without any treatment, and oil tanker accidents
cause catastrophes endangering the habitat of many species of animals living in the ocean and in the seas. The largest part
of the sewage produced by human population is flowing without any cleaning treatment into our rivers and sees, thus poisoning
our waters. e). Inappropriate consumption habits: People use too much water unwisely in their daily activities. The industrial development
needs more and more water. Because of deforestation and climate changes, more and more water is needed for agricultural production.
There is no agriculture without water. f). Overpopulation : leads to deforestation, while more and more land is needed for production of more food. There is an
exodus of rural population into the cities, an ever increasing number of people has been moving into the large agglomerations,
contributing to excessive urbanisation, which, on the other hand is a major reason for water pollution. Today, the population of our planet is around 6 billion, and 1/6th
of them, about 1.2 billion people do not have potable water, which water is contaminated and is a major cause of mortality.
On the other hand, according to the water usage statistics, only about 2% of domestic water consumption is used for drinking
water, and not more than 15% is used for drinking and cooking. According to the statistical forecasts, between 2025 and 2030,
the population of the Earth will reach eight billion, and half of them, around 4 billion will not have potable water of adequate
quality. The above data shows that 85% of the water that we use in the household does not have to be of potable water quality.
3.
It is insane to flush the toilet with potable water
In household water consumption ca. 35% is wasted on toilet flushing while the washing machine
and bath/shower account for about 50% where the water becoming slightly polluted with soap/detergent is called "grey water"
We can reuse that approximatively 50% grey water to flush the toilet. Water consumption statistical data varies very much,
depending on geographical location and on socio-cultural factors. It is obvious that no potable water quality is needed to
flush the toilet. The "water closet" was invented about 150 years ago in 4.
Definition of grey water (US spelling: gray
water)
The "California gray water law" is considered to be the strictest one of all the national grey water laws. It defines grey water as follows:
Graywater is untreated
waste water which has not come into contact with toilet waste. Graywater includes waste water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom
wash basins, clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs, or an equivalent discharge as approved by the Administrative Authority.
It does not include waste water from kitchen sinks, photo lab sinks, dishwashers, or laundry water from soiled diapers. It can be seen that grey does not mean the colour of the water, but rather it means the quality of the
waste water. It is interesting to see that waste water from kitchen sinks does not qualify as grey water, it is already considered
as "black water", because it may contain food remains and it is greasy. The most important criteria for reusing grey water
are the following: Grey water can be reused only after filtering and disinfection. There are two types of grey water: 1. rainwater
is considered a lighter grey water, because it does not contain so much contaminants, only leaves, feathers and other contaminants
from birds. We can use rainwater to water the garden and food plants, and to wash the car. The darker grey water is washing
water from the bath tub and from the washing machine, and that darker type needs more treatment, i.e. filtering and disinfecting,
following which grey water can be used to flush the toilet. 5.
The value of grey water
The value of grey water is equal to the price of the clean potable water it replaces. 6.
Advantages of reusing grey water in the household:
1. by reusing grey water, we can save about 1/3 on household water
consumption; 2. about one third on water and sewage bill; 3. it reduces waste water output by about 1/3; 4. last but not least, we can actively contribute to improving our
environment. Water availability : When we say that life on earth originated from water, we just mention
a commonplace. However, it is not as banal to consider that water was the vital factor for the evolution of life on earth.
Evolution lead the various living species, especially the human one, to select different types and amounts of water according
to the needs to be faced. The water of the oceans and of the seas turned out to be
unfit for these needs. A further vital step in this evolution was the development of fresh waters. The hydrologic cycle gives origin to meteoric water, that depending on the context it goes through results in fresh
water. Fresh water is a very small fraction of all water on the planet. Only 2,8 % (tantamount
to 38.000.000 cubic kilometers) of all the water on the earth is fresh water. 2,5 % - 29.000.000 cubic kilometers - of this amount
is frozen in polar ice and glaciers, while only the remaining 0,3% (9.000.000 cubic kilometers) can be used by all the living
forms on the earth. Fresh water - that is to say meteoric water made "fresh" by the context it goes through
- can be roughly divided into two categories: 1) water from evapo-transpiration that infiltrates into the ground, is absorbed
by the plants and is returned by the plants to the atmosphere and 2) run-off and infiltration water that are available for animal living forms in
lakes, in watercourses and in groundwater tables. Evapo-transpiration reintroduces into the atmosphere a percentage of water ranging from
56% and 82%. The remaining amount is partly run-off and partly infiltration water. The actual availability of water also depends on the geomorphological
context and the types of vegetation. The hydrologic cycle distributes meteoric water unevenly.
The amount of atmospheric precipitation depends on climatic factors (thermic excursions, atmospheric pressure, solar radiation
etc.) The most abundant atmospheric precipitations occur in WATER WORLD RECORDS In When Along with the annual amount and frequency of precipitation of a given area, it is
important to know its pluviometric status, that is to say in what times of the year precipitation are concentrated. This may
differ from region to region and may definitely affect the type of vegetation, the agriculture and the abundance of watercourses. The flowing rate of a river in a given point of its course ranges during the year from
peak values (high water) to minimal values (low water). Changes in the flowing rate may also occur in the space of the day, from season to season and
from year to year. These changes are related to the climate - for precipitation and evaporation - to the size of the catchment basin,
to the geological status of the ground - for the permeability, that is to say the availability of the ground to be imbibed
with water - to the thickness of the vegetational cover and to the altimetric status of the basin - slopes where water runs
quickly or plain areas, where water stands longer, thus allowing infiltration, evaporation or use by man. Therefore, the flowing
rate of a river results from a subtile dynamic balance, which is so significant in the description of the activity of a watercourse,
that the change in the flowing rate in the space of one year defines the regimen of a river. While a stream is marked by recurring high and low waters, the
regimen of a river is more regular and active also during the dry seasons. Surface water The surface water originating from rain and snow first flows
on the soil like a great veil, then it divides into streams that flow into watercourses with an increasingly high water flow. The water flow of a stream is the amount of water, expressed in cubic metres that goes
through its section every second. For e.g., the water flow of the Nile - one of the longest rivers in the world (6671 kilometres)
- is 2000 cubic metres per second, while, surprisingly, the water flow of the Amazon - slightly shorter than the Nile (6280 kilometres) - is 100,000
cubic metres per second. These remarkable differences in the water flow of rivers result from the rainfall in the
geographic area of the river and from the surface area of the hydrographic basin, that is to say the area from where all water
supplied to the river (rainwater or water from the sources) is collected. Lakes are masses of water with different origins, extensions
and depths and are among the sources of water supply for the hydrographic basins. One or more watercourses, called tributaries,
enter the lakes, while other watercourses, called outlets, transport the outgoing water. If there are no tributaries, the
lake is supplied only by rainwater or by subsurface water. If there are no outlets, water is lost as a result of evaporation
or goes out through the underground circulation. Lakes have a glacial origin, if they occupy depressions
at high altitudes produced by the action of glaciers in the past. Other lakes fill depressions formed by movement of the earth
surface along geological fractures called faults. Volcanic lakes are contained in craters of extinct volcanoes. Damming lakes
were formed by the accumulation of material brought about by landslides. Artificial lakes are special water bodies: their aim is
to stem floods, supply water for the hydro-electric energy, store water for uses such as the supply of drinking water and
the irrigation of crops that require water (rice, maize, vegetables etc.) Every watercourse is a component of a larger system based
on a complex balance. An action on a water body - for example the costruction of a dam - or on one part of it may have repercussions
on a wide-reaching area and at a far distance. Artificial lakes, like natural lakes, receive sediments. For
e.g. it has been estimated that by the year 2025 the half of the capacity of the Ground water Subsurface waters are the most important reservoir of fresh
water on the earth. The volume of underground water - according to the estimate of UNESCO - is forty times higher that the
one of surface water bodies, that is to say mainly lakes and rivers. Subsurface waters mainly occur in geologic bodies called "aquifers". They are made up of
permeable rocks, that is to say rocks where water can infiltrate, when it has a certain load. Permeability can result from porosity or from cracking. Porosity is typical for loose rocks, such as gravel and sand, that make up the main aluvial
aquifers - originating from material transported by watercourses - and that show communicating voids among the grains. Cracking
is typical for rocks with splits and great or small discontinuities. The circulation of water through the void areas occurs
in the saturation zone (line) as a result of gravity. This area is separated from the overlying aeration zone
- where water only occurs as a thin layer on rocks grains - by a piezometric layer. Precipitation water and water from the
surface water of bodies infiltrates into the soil through the aeration zone and then it reaches the saturation zone. The amount
of infiltrated water depends on the permeability of the aquifer rocks and also on the following factors: 1. amount of precipitation 2. balance between the evaporation from the soil and the infiltration into the underground 3. absorption of vegetation 4. amount of water returned to the surface of water bodies through the sources 5. underground water extracted by man Subsurface water can be extracted from aquifers by wells
and sources. Therefore, this is the most important source of water supply
for the human activities (agriculture, industry, civil and domestic use). Underground water can move inside the aquifer at speeds
ranging from some centimetres to several metres a day. This allows to restore the water supply after the extraction. However, if the extraction rate is too fast compared to the rate of supply to the aquifer,
the aquifer gets progressively drained. The constant sinking of the piezometric surface results in the depression of the aquifer.
In some cases, the effect is a sinking of the soil called subsidence. A glacier is a large mass of ice that is formed on the mainland
as a result of the tamping and crystalisation of steadily moving snow. As snow is the primary factor for the formation of
the ice mass, glaciers develop only in areas where the snowfall in the winter is higher than the snow melting in the summer.
The boundary of persistant snow, that is to say the inferior limit of the glacier, varies remarkably. In cold polar areas,
the limit may correspond to the sea level, while in intertropical regions, this boundary can only exist in high mountains,
frequently over 4500 metres. Water falling as snow at high altitudes or latitudes cannot
infiltrate into the ground or run off immediately. It remains for a more or less long time in the form of ice. Sooner or later,
the ice gradually melts and the water can flow to the sea. In the meanwhile, it can remain captured in the glacier for tens,
hundreds or also thousand of years. Research studies about the glacial cover of How much water is frozen as ice? According to some estimates,
only 2,5% of the total water reserves of our planet occurs in the form of glaciers. However, this is a misleading figure,
as the amount of ice water in absolute terms is 29 million cubic kilometres. In mountain areas, there are thousands of relatively small
glaciers. They usually occur in mountain valleys and are called alpine glaciers. The total amount of alpine glaciers is about
210.000 cubic kilometres, which almost equals the total volume of the lakes on the earth. On a larger scale, continental glaciers are huge ice accumulations
that do not only occupy valleys, as in the case of alpine glaciers, but cover much more extended areas. Presently, two great continental glaciers occur on the earth.
One covers the whole area of If all continental ice should melt, the sea level would increase
by 60-70 metres and would flood many densely populated coast areas. To have a clearer idea of the amount of continental ice,
if the antarctic ice should melt, it supply water to a river such as the Mississipi for more than 50.000 years or to the Amazon
for about 5000 years or to all rivers of the world for 750 years. Water pollution The pollution of natural water, as in the case of any other
environmental resource, is an alteration that can have harmful effects on the living organisms. Water pollution occurs through
the introduction of foreign substances whose features alter the natural quality of water, thereby preventing it from being
used and making unpleasant for the sight, the taste and the smell. The pollution of surface and ground water is a factor that
limits some or all uses of water for man. Drinking is the most vulnerable sector of use. Pollution frequently prevents a source of natural water from being used for drinking , thus
also limiting the use for less demanding sectors such as the agricultural and the industrial one. Incredibly, a small fraction
of pollutant can make huge amounts of water non drinkable. For e.g. a tea-spoon of tetrachloriethylene can dangerously contaminante
one million litres water. The pollution of underground water is usually more difficult
to be detected than surface water pollution. In many cases, underground water pollution is reported only as a result of controls
of the health authority. The resulting measure is usually the interruption of the water supply in the municipal system. In
this case, the source of pollution is very difficult to identify, as it may be very far from the point, where pollution was
detected. Moreover, the action of the polluting agent may have ceased long before the detection and pollution may also result
from a combination of factors in the area where water is supplied to the aquifer. The signs of pollution of surface water are the devastating
effects along a watercourse, on the banks or on the surface of a lake such as oil stains, dead fish, foams, coloured water
and unpleasant or unusual smell. Surface water may also be affected by the pollution resulting
from the washing off of nitrates from the agricultural soil or of anti-freeze products from the highways, caused by precipitation. Interview to Kay Barlund Extract of an interview withMr. Barlund, United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe
Mr. Kaj B.rlund is the Director of the Environment and Human Settlements Division of the United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UN-ECE). He is a former minister of the environment of - Is fresh water a problem in European
cities? Kaj B.rlund: Yes, and it’s a problem that won’t
go away! There is a real danger that water shortage might actually restrict the growth of cities. What are the reasons behind this phenomenon? Increasing urbanization, decreasing water-supply, due in particular
to the depletion of groundwater resources, and the waste of water in general are among the most obvious reasons. Yet an even
greater threat is the obsolescence of the water-supply system. - Isn’t this system regularly
maintained? No, not even in the most developed countries, let alone
in the countries in transition to a market economy. In most countries of the UN-ECE region the system of pipes to supply water
is in a desperate state. In many cases the pipe systems date from before World War I and they haven’t been upgraded
since. - How big is the leakage? On average between 40 and 60% of the water which is produced
is lost before arriving at the tap. But in some cities the lost water amounts to 80% of production. To give you a concrete
example, in - Where do these losses occur? Mostly in the municipal supply system. In fact, sometimes
the "best" thing that can happen is for a pipe to burst, because then the authorities are obliged to repair it. But mostly
the leaks are "small" and can go undetected for many years. And even then there is no guarantee that they will be repaired. - What happens with this lost water? It infiltrates the ground. Either it remains there creating
large humid zones or in very many cases it infiltrates the sewerage system. In this case it implies an enormous economic cost
to the communities. First, this water never reaches the tap; second, it increases the amount of water to be treated in waste-water
plants; and, third, in some cases the treatment capacity has to be 50% higher than it should have been if there had been no
leaks. - How much does this all cost? We have tried to estimate the economic cost of these leakages
for the whole of the ECE region, and our conservative estimate is around US$ 10 billion a year in terms of clean water wasted
alone. But that is only one aspect of the economic costs of leaks. One has also to take into account the damage that these
leaks do to the foundations of houses and other constructions. And this aspect is very difficult to estimate. - Do they affect human health? Yes, definitely. What happens is that these leakages create
large reservoirs of water full of bacteria. As long as the pressure is constant these bacteria should not infiltrate the pipe
system. But as soon as the water pressure drops they are pumped into the pipe and directly into the taps. Their presence is
not detected because such tests are carried out before the water leaves the pumping station, not afterwards. - Has it been noticed? Yes, in many UN-ECE countries there has been a very clear
increase in Escherichia coli in the water-supply. - So why are these leaks not repaired? For a number of reasons. First of all, these repairs are
costly and mainly to be paid by the municipalities, which in most countries of the region are facing serious financial difficulties.
Furthermore, the effects of these repairs are not "visible". In fact, as long as the leaks remain small, the public at large
is not aware that water is being wasted. And let’s face it, even many householders ignore small leaks for a long period
of time because it costs less to waste the water than to call a plumber. Another factor has appeared in several countries in the
region, namely the privatization of the water-supply companies. In many cases these companies, which have fixed-term leases,
have very little incentive to undertake any large-scale long-term investment in restoring the pipe system. I suppose that
as long as they have no precise obligations to do so, very few of them are going to make these investments. - What is the scale of the problem? In many cities of the UN-ECE region the entire water system
would need to be rebuilt. But these are huge infrastructure works and would imply that most of the streets of these cities
would have to be opened up. You also have to realize that the problem lies not only with the big cities themselves. The economic
development of the surrounding areas is also compromised, because as cities take more water than they actually need, they
are in effect taking it from their surrounding areas. - What can be done? Unfortunately, these issues have not attracted much political
interest. Only major disasters seem to do that. In the UN-ECE we have been working on water
issues since the late 1960s, but the problem has now taken on such proportions that we feel we have to raise awareness about
this crucial subject. The most important thing is to include provisions for the renewal of individual and collective water-
supply systems in renovation programmes for cities and to oblige water-supply companies to monitor and maintain their water-supply
systems. It is up to Governments to launch awareness campaigns for the
public at large but also for municipalities and companies to remind them that water can no longer be considered as a free
gift of nature and that there is a need to change the approach to water use. These campaigns could be supplemented by a number
of economic incentives like metering water use and a more realistic pricing of water, which should take into account the investment
needs for the renewal of the pipe infrastructure. Otherwise, many major cities in the ECE region may very well end up having
to accept a reduction in the quantity and quality of the water that is supplied to them. Remarks about the ancient water supply system of the It was the year 1364 when Cardinal Egidio Albornoz established
in his testament that a part of his goods should have been used for the construction, in a suited area of the city of Bologna,
of a "Casa Spagnola" - a Spanish House - that is to say a complex of buildings designed to house the Spanish students of the
University of Bologna. After choosing and purchasing the ground, the design of the new complex was commissioned to Matteo
Gattapone da Gubbio, who was the personal "ingegnerius, geumetra and mensurator" of the Cardinal Albornoz. Works started in
May 1365 and were finished in the space of one year, so that already in 1368 the first students could establish in the college.
At that time the city of Bologna did not have an aqueduct, as the excellent aqueduct built in the 1st century b.C. - probably
under the rule of Augustus - had fallen into disuse for centuries. In the great new college the water supply could only be
achieved by wells and reservoirs. As the area of the college - that is adjacent to the southern side of the second-last circle
of walls of the city, built between the 12th and the 13th century, the socalled walls of the Thousand - had long been occupied
by houses and handicraft workshops, also with vegetable gardens and vineyards, there were probably many wells present already. Possibly, a certain number of them were preserved and became
the first water-supply sources for the new "Spanish House". One well preserved for use seems to be the one still to be seen
in the southern corner of the great two-tier courtyard - the heart of the entire complex. The diameter seems to be typical
of the metric system used in the Roman age, thus suggesting that at the time of the establishment of the college the well
was already thousand years old. As the well occupied the corner of the courtyard, the rest
of the courtyard was available for a great tank, where rainwater from the roofs of the surrounding buildings could be collected.The
reservoir was constructed in 1578 by Giovanni Battista Tibaldi, the entrepreneur in charge with the masonry works of the college.
An underground vaulted chamber was built with enough capacity to contain a considerable reserve of good-quality water for
the college. Among the other things, the water from the reservoir was more suited for kitchen uses than the water from the
wells. By a lucky chance - but also probably thanks to the care in
the maintenance of the structure by all those who ruled and were in charge of the college - the underground tank with its
Verona marble upper opening and its two access doors from above was preserved What is more, three of the four pipings for
collecting rainwater from the corners of the courtyard are still preserved, equipped with the original sedimentation systems.
As far as we know, this is the only surviving example in This is a sort of by-pass system, where the occasional rainwater
not suited for preservation was carried to the sewage and the persistant autumn and winter rain was conveyed to the tank.
This preciously useful water went through a sedimentation process before the access to the pipes leading to the tank. The
sedimentation occured with a sandstone ring jutting from the floor around the mouth of the pipe. The water overflowed from
the rim of the ring after the sedimentation from the residual powders and corpuscles that were left over despite the regular
washing of the collecting surfaces - the roofs and the floor of the courtyard - The system of defence from the foreign bodies
was completed with a "grasparola", a sort of copper net placed on the hole of the sewage discharge or at the mouth of the
pipe conveying to the tank. http://www.watercare.sa.gov.au/campaign.php The WaterCare media campaign aims
to raise awareness of water issues throughout WaterCare focuses on three key themes:
sustainability, efficiency and stormwater pollution. These themes have been identified through market research as the most important for
By focusing on the three themes
WaterCare will encourage positive behaviours toward water conservation and improving water quality. The WaterCare advertising campaign is designed to ·
remind all South Australians that our water resources
are precious ·
increase awareness that our water issues are long term
·
increase understanding that our behaviour impacts on
our water resources ·
encourage the community to protect our precious water
resources The campaign predominantly focuses on television and
print advertising. The television campaign is designed to raise the emotional awareness of water as a precious resource. While,
the print component provides more detail on the water issues we face as a State. To view the WaterCare television campaign please click below.
http://www.watercare.sa.gov.au/campaign.php#1 http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/bae/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/cd35.html Improving systems Agronomy: - Selection of crops with a high yield for each litre of
transpired water - Use of systems of crop combinations for a maximized exploitation
of the humidity of the ground - Selection of crops based on the climatic conditions and
on the actual availability of water - Alternate crops to maximize the production when water
and soil have a high salinity rate - Selection of dryness-resistant crops in case of water
shortage - Sowing crops with an efficient water yield Management: - Improvement of the time planning of irrigation - Improvement of the use of canals for measured supplies - Supply of water in the best suited times for the growth
of crops - Development of ploughing and soil preparation systems
designed for the conservation of water - Better maintenance of canals and of the related devices. - Recycling of drainage water - Creation of organisations of water consumers aimed at
a larger involment of farmers and at achieving a more efficient tariff system - Reducing subsidies for irrigation and/or establishing
tariffs that favour water saving - Establishing norms aimed at creating a more equitable
and efficient market. - Adjusting the rural facilities to favour the use of more
efficient technologies in the private sector - Improvement and promotion of training Technical: - Leveling of the ground for a more uniform distribution
of water - Spray irrigation to improve the distribution of water - Efficient sprayers for a more uniform distribution of
water - Sprayers with low-energy precision devices to reduce losses
caused by wind and evaporation - Argins along the furrows to favour infiltration into the
soil and to reduce the amount of water running on the surface - Dripping irrigation to reduce evaporation and the other factors
of water loss and to increase the crop yield (Source: Amy L. Vickers, Handbook of Water Use and Conservation) Goals of the Aquasave project to develop behaviours and technologies meeting the water needs in urban areas with consumption
habits that are compatible with the protection of the environment in the framework of a saveguard strategy of the water resource
to implement an integrated system for the saving, the recycling and the re-use of water in eight newly built flats. The system
is based on the assumption that out of the 250 daily litres of drinking water used every inhabitant only 4% must be high-quality
water. The remaining part is designed for less "precious" uses or it is wasted as a result of the carelessness of the users
or of badly devised sanitary facilities. to examine the reliability of the system, the possibility of using the system in very different sectors
from the one designed for the experiment, the enviromental and economic benefits of the system and to verify the unchanged
comfort for the user despite the reduced consumption. World experiences ANGLIAN WATER IN The "Anglian Water" is a British body for the water supply to five
million inhabitants living the eastern area of In the middle of the Eighties, the "Anglian Water" launched
a long monitoring campaign of water use. The program was carried out on 2000 flats, of which 100 were equipped with water-metres
for measuring warm and cold water, the water discharged and the water used by the each tap system such as: bath-tubs, showers,
washing-machines, bidets etc. The result was that the use of grey water was 42% of the
total consumption of water, which was much higher the water needed for the supply of water closet flush tanks, about 34% of
total water consumption. In terms of quality, the values of PH, COD, BOD5, total coliforms and Eschirichia Coli were measured.
The results are published in the table. "AVERA ARMADILLO ACRES" IN In this case, the use of non conventional water was designed
both for irrigation - due to a high content of salt, groundwater in this area is not suitable for long-term irrigation - and
for compensating the exhaustion of some wells resulting from a considerable population growth. In the case in point, all water
from the roofs is used and treated with the following procedures: sedimentation inside a stocking reservoir; preliminary disinfection
through UV rays; sand-filtering; second filtering on a 20 millimetre cartridge; storage in a reservoir. Presently, the stocked water is used only for irrigation,
but the system can also produce water for domestic uses. "DESERT HOUSE" IN The adoption of the program resulted from the need of improving
the living standard of inhabitants of very arid areas, where the shortage of water makes the growth and the maintenance of
gardens very difficult and costly. Therefore, grey water and rainwater are stored for irrigation
uses. All the water is filtered through a sand filter and then conveyed to a reservoir that supplies an underground irrigation
system, specially equipped with biocompatible pipings. In order to minimise losses, the house is also equipped
with low-flow supply apparatus and water closet flush tanks. With these equipments a water-saving of 570 cubic metres
a year was achieved. Also in this case the disadvantages were basically related to the costs of the treatment plants. THE The reuse of grey water was also designed for the conservation
of nutrients, especially of phosporus. Unlike carbon and nitrogen, phosphorus does not have a gaseous form. It is to be found
in the water as a result of the dissolution of phosphatic rocks and it is lost as a result of the discharge of sediments into
the sea or in the purifying muds. To counterbalance this loss, the idea was developed to separate water types with different
compositions, especially for the content of phosphorus, coming from the different service sectors in houses (see table). In the case of - urines, that contain 80% of the nutrients, are easily
stored and stocked for agricultural uses - faeces are stored, composted for six months for the elimination
of pathogenic agents and recycled for agricultural uses - grey water is purified with a natural biological process
and then designed for the typical uses for grey water or as a replacement for drinking water. "HOUSE OF WATER" IN This is an experimental project implemented in 1985 where
grey water and rainwater are reused and where water closet flush tanks with a capacity of six litre and tap systems (taps,
showers) with a low-flow aeration are used. Grey water - reused in flush tanks, designed for irrigation
and partly stocked during the winter for the summer needs - is treated by processes of sedimentation (inside the stocking
reservoir), filtering and disinfection. Rainwater from the roof is used only for irrigation and
designed for uses not related to the household. It goes only through one phase of filtering by means of a metallic filter. Thanks to these systems, the water consumption was reduced
by over 55%. Interestingly, these types of flush tanks allow a decreased consumption from the usual average of 115 litre per
inhabitant to 34 litres. The disadvantages of this solution are obviously economic,
as the charges for the application are to be borne by the house-owner. "MIKE MC’ELVEEN’S
HOUSE" IN The goal of the installation in Two systems of water collection were designed. The first one
was implemented on the house roof: water is stocked in special tanks and used only for irrigation. The second one was installed
on the roof of a barn with an area of 18 square metres and made of galvanised steel: rainwater is collected, stored and treated
with the aim of making it drinkable. Water is pumped to two filters with cartridges in sequence with a porosity of 5 and 1
micron and then disinfected with UV-rays. The standards achieved with this water treatment comply with the limits stated by
the local legislation. The water supply to the users in this house almost equals the average recorded in NEW The first examined case is a residential allotment in Osborne,
in the south of This settlement was build for demostration purposes. Its
goals were: - researching a system of working for treatment plants that
is more economical than the present one, where centralized plants are used - experimenting a system of water resources that can be
reproduced in areas with similar conditions - minimize waste water from the sewage - minimize the use of drinking water for external uses The " The system implemented in 1996 in After having been collected and stored, rainwater goes through
two filtering phases – one working with sand and the other with active carbon - and then it is disinfected with UV rays.
This system, combined with the high rate of rainfall, can entirely replace the use of drinking water. Grey and black water are stored in a reservoir where the
separation of oils and fats is performed and then conveyed to another aerated biological filter, where the removal of organic
matter and the nitrification of nitrogen is carried out. Water is then conveyed to a slow sand filter, then to a carbon filter,
disinfected with UV rays and stocked. The advantage of these systems lies in the total re-use "in situ" of all water, while
the disadvantages are related to the very expensive maintenance for the user. Dissemination and divulgation a) In the monthly magazine "Pratica" published by the Editariale
Italiana, an issue of the special insert "Speciale Casa"- with an average total circulation of 40.000 copies – was dedicated
to the Project Aquasave. b) Two interviews were broadcasted. One interview was given
during the program "Viaggio in Italia" on the national broadcasting station Radio Rai Uno. The other one took place on the
station Rai International during one issue of the program "Un’ora con voi" dedicated to desertification. c) On the occasion of the opening ceremony of the flats,
press releases were made on local and national newspapers. Programs were made on the some TV local stations and on the regional
news of the national station RAI 3. d) Participation to the one-day convention dedicated to water reclaim
and saving in the urban ecosystem which took place in e) A written report was presented during the convention "Water
security in the third millenium" organized by the Landau Network in f) A paper on the Aquasave project was presented during the international
convention in g) A paper on the Aquasave project was presented during the international
symposium in h) Presentation of the project at the fair of the reclaim and recycling
of material and energy that took place in COMPONENTS (Commercial technologies for water-saving) One-gauge water taps with controlled flowing and equipped with jet-breaking devices - the so-called Venturi effect
where the introduction of air into the water causes an increased volume of the water flow and thus a reduced water consumption
with an unchanged washing efficiency Water closet flush tank equipped with a double flushing system. It is a "twobutton" system where the small tank discharges 3,5 litres, the larger one discharges
6 litres. ·Toilet bowl equipped with a hydrodynamic system for
optimising the flushing ·Automatic flushing system in the WC with a sensor
detecting the approaching user and automatically triggering a slight flushing. Remark: it is installed only in one floor. ·Showers with an electronic system for regulating
the flow and the temperature of water ·Washing-machines and dish-washers of the last generation
with a low water consumption, equipped with a double supply system for drinking water and for rainwater. Plant engineering GREY WATER - Grey water
from the washing of hands, from showers and from baths is collected by means of a specially designed system and conveyed to
a reservoir in the machinery room. Then, it is treated,
stored and conveyed through an autoclave to the flats and then to the water closet flush tanks. Treatement of grey
water - The system of treatment of grey water consists of: a) pre-treatment (grilling:
0.5 millimetres: pre-disinfection) b) storage of the incoming
water c) sand filtering (about
50 micron) d) microstraining with
polyethylene membranes e) disinfection with
peracetic acid (about 4 ppm) f) stocking of the
treated grey water g) pumping by autoclave
for the supply of the single tap systems The volumes of the
tanks are the following ones: Volume of the tank
for the storage of grey water: 4 cubic metres. The capacity is designed for the simultaneous storage of grey water from all
bathrooms. Volume of the stocking
tank for the accumulation of treated grey water: about 5 cubic metres Volume of the autoclave
for the supply of water into the water closet flush tanks: about 0.3 cubic metres. RAIN WATER - Rainwater
from the roof is stored by means of a specially designed system and conveyed to a storage tank in the machinery room. It is
treated and carried to two stocking reservoirs to create a reserve for times of scarce rainfall. It is conveyed by an autoclave
to the flats and then to the washing machines and the dish washers. Treatment of rainwater
- The system of treatment of rainwater consists of a) drainage deviation
of the first rainwater b) pre-treatment (grilling:
0.5 millimetres: pre-disinfection) c) storage of the incoming
water d) sand filtering (about
50 micron) e) microstraining with
polyethylene membranes f) disinfection with
peracetic acid (4 ppm) g) stocking of the
treated grey water h) pumping by autoclave
for the supply of the single tap systems Features of the plant
- Volume of the reservoir for the storage of rainwater: around 10 cubic metres Stocking reservoirs:
20 m. In case of prolonged shortage of rainfall and of exhaustion of water from reserves, drinking water is supplied. Volume of the autoclave
for the supply of washing machines and dish-washers: about 0.3 cubic metres. Yearly rainfall: 600-680
millimetres of water Area of the roof: about
200 cubic metres Rainwater that can
be used for washing: 100 cubic metres A combination of rainwater
and drinking water from the municipal water supply system is used for the household appliances. Rainwater is used for pre-washing,
washing and rinsing with the exception of the last rinse. Washing machines and dish-washers are designed to automatically
draw rainwater first and then drinking water. Control and monitoring All experimental households are equipped with technological instruments
that can inform the user about water use and water costs in real time. An integrated monitoring system with the following components has been installed: (a) instruments for measuring water consumption on the single tap systems
- taps, shower etc (b) instruments that can perform on-line analysis of some quality standards
- such as probes on the roof measuring the conductivity and the turbidity of rainwater (c) stations for sampling treated and untreated water in the framework of
a monitoring campaign of the chemico-physical and microbiological features of water (d) electronic panels for real-time information to each user about the trend
of consumption and the estimated costs. Set of rules RESIDUAL CHLORINE:
1 mg/l TOTAL COLIFORMS:<
10/100 ml REGULATION: ISSUING BOARD: NSW
Recycled water coordination committe YEAR: 1993 COLOUR: < 15 TCU,
pH:6,5-8 TURBIDITY: < 2 NTU RESIDUAL CHLORINE:
0,5 mg/l COLIFORMI TOTALI: <2,5/100
ml - The values refer to the point of use YEAR: 1981 - RANGE
OF USE: Water closet flush tanks, APPEARANCE: Not unpleasant SMELL: Not unpleasant pH: 5,8-8,6 RESIDUAL CHLORINE:
traces TOTAL COLIFORMS: <
10 count/ml ISSUING BOARD: BSRIA,
YEAR: 1997 TOTAL COLIFORMS: 0/100ml
Suggested regulations UNITED STATES
- REGULATION: EPA/625/R-92/004 ÒGuidelinese for water reuse, ISSUING BOARD:EPA, YEAR: 1992 Irrigation, water closet
flush tanks, fire extinction, air-conditioners pH: 6-9 TURBIDITY: <2 NTU BOD:<10 mg/l RESIDUAL CHLORINE:
1 mg/l TOTAL COLIFORMS: 0/100
ml* * in REGULATION: Proposed
Revisions to reuse of Reclaimed Water and Land Applications, ISSUING BOARD: Florida Department
of Environmental protection - YEAR: 1995 SUSPENDED SOLIDS: <
5 mg/l BOD: <20 mg/l TOTAL COLIFORMS: 0/100
ml REGULATION: - NSF 41-1983
Wastewater recycle/reuse and water conservation devices, ISSUING BOARD: NSF International Standard YEAR: 1983, RANGE OF
USE:Use involving possible contact with man APPEARANCE:Absence
of oils and foams SMELL: Not unpleasant TURBIDITY: < 90
NTU SUSPENDED SOLIDS: <
45 mg/l BOD: < 45 mg/l average
for seven days TOTAL COLIFORMS: <240/100
ml download of the cd-rom version* in English * You can download the fully version
of the cd-rom. Pay attention! The download may be very long (over half an hour) because the file is long as 350Mb.
The file is in .zip format. After the dowload you may unzip it and click on "start" The cd-rom version is like others
cd-rom with interactive opportunities and movies. There are possible sound problems. GrayWater Literature - TEXAS, USA (pdf, 141 pages) Farmhand Foundation Publications – Australia Truth in Water Entitlements (Complete) (PDF 766KB) Talking Water - Comprehensive 12 Part Report (Total size approx. 4MB) SeaWater Desalination GE proudly boasts that 7 billion litres of water is desalinated daily using GE Water
Technology. We must acknowledge, this is really a big achievement. This also shows how big the water shortage problem is.
Still, would it not be useful to save, at the same time, 35% on water consumption and waste water output by using the grey-water
reusing washing machine? Desalinated water a sweet deal, a sticky problem MEXICO CITY, March 20, 2006 (AFP) - Desalinating sea water
for coastal populations is 10 times cheaper than in the 1990s, experts note, while others warn of environmental hazards. "A dozen years ago, desalination cost eight dollars per cubic meter,"
said Loic Chauvin, president of the France-based World Water Council. "Now, we are at 80 cents, one tenth as much, and that is sure to
fall," he said. Gerard Payen, environment advisor to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan,
agreed. "Desalination is well along, works very well. "However, it takes sea water and energy," he said. "Because the
cost of desalination depends on the cost of energy," he said, "the technology is most highly developed in countries with sources
of energy or which are on islands, where there is no other choice." Desalination plants have adapted to the needs of dry and desert
regions, to produce water for drinking, irrigation or industrial use. Countries around the Gulf are the prime consumers. Two thirds of
the world's desalination capacity is installed on the Beyond the Gulf and the Desalination is common at seaside luxury hotels, such as in The Hamma plant outside "It is not as expensive as many people think, the benefits are greater
than the investment and it is a sustainable source of water," she said. Environmental groups do not agree. They say the leftover
salt jeopardizes marine flora and fauna and that desalination uses a lot of fossil fuel. Factsheet (2.3 Wastewater Reuse, PDF) Onsite wastewater
reuse provides numerous opportunities to reduce water use within the home… Create an Oasis with Greywater, Excerpt ~ The Gravity Drum Greywater Treatment and Reuse, Greywater Treatment and Reuse for Peri-Urban Horticulture - (West Bank, Palestine) The main objective
is the standardization of means and methods for the up-scaling and replication of onsite greywater treatment plants for decentralized
aggregates of 15 to 20 houses Greywater Treatment and Reuse in West Bekaa, Safe Use of Household Greywater, Guide M-106. Revised by Marsha
Duttle, Extension Research Assistant - The New Mexico Environment Department and the Construction Industries Division govern
liquid waste disposal in if the applicant shows that:… Sustainable Options for Domestic Water Sewage, by: Bob Patrick. (Part of a group project, Geography 449 class Spring 1999 Semester
- Directed by Dr. Mark Roseland Ph.D. MCIP) Investigate
potential for greywater treatment and reuse for irrigation/fireflow purposes… Greywater Reuse: Some Options For
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