Greywater is the term used to describe water which has been used but could which potentially be reused rather than being sent down the drain into the sewerage system. Water that has been used for washing laundry or dishwashing and bath and shower water is greywater. Water that has been used in the toilet is not greywater!
Greywater can be used for a range of purposes including flushing toilets and watering the garden where pure, treated water is probably overkill, although even greywater should be filtered. There are a great number of benefits to reusing greywater, which accounts for up to 80% of total household water waste.
Benefits include a reduction in the cost of water treatment works and the chemicals used in the treatment process, reduced reliance on fresh water sources such as rivers and fresh water lakes and groundwater and more nutrients being put back into the top soil.
« Back to the green glossary