What is greywater and how can it help you save money?

The Cambridge Dictionary definition of greywater is: “water that has been used before, for example for washing, that can be stored and used again, for example in toilets”. If it isn't recycled, greywater ends up going straight down the drain and into the sewerage system.

How businesses can benefit from greywater recycling

If your business has shower facilities for employees or customers, for example a hotel, university, or leisure centre, you can significantly cut water and wastewater bills by recycling wastewater. When it comes to flushing toilets, washing vehicles, washing pavements/yards, or watering grounds, greywater is perfectly all right. You don't always need to use clean, potable water drawn directly from the mains.

In simple terms, by recycling greywater you’d no longer have to pay for water you use to wash your hands with and pay for the water you use to flush toilets with. By using the greywater from the sink and diverting it into the toilet cistern, you'll only pay once for water you actually use twice. With the additional bonus that, by reducing the amount of water you flush away, you will also reduce your wastewater costs.

If you scale that up to the size of your business, then you could be looking at significant savings. And not just in monetary terms.

Boost your sustainability credentials by saving water

At COP26 last year, we interviewed Carolyn Hogg, Managing Director of Cascade Water Products, about the need for greywater. She told us: “Water is an energy consuming sector. Greywater reuse is the future. Businesses are now expected to demonstrate their green credentials when applying for tenders. However, water use is often not included. So, be ahead of the pack and investigate greywater reuse.”

The additional green benefit of recycling greywater is that less water will need to be abstracted from our rivers, and aquifers. And the less water we abstract from the environment, the more water will be available for nature. Greywater recycling also decreases the amount of wastewater released back into the environment.

Greywater systems

Greywater systems are becoming increasingly popular with businesses. They use pumps and filtration units which partially treat the greywater before it’s used. However, the savings you'll make on your water bills will quickly cover the cost of installation and running costs.

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