Greywater reuse has multilayer benefits for facility managers and society overall

Linear water use in the techno sphere creates high loads on the whole potable water supply chain, from water sources, drinking water production, distribution, sewage collection and wastewater treatment. The industry is facing immense challenges globally, due to both aging infrastructure and increased water demand due to population increase, gentrification and urbanization.  Coupled with overexploitation of water supply sources there is an escalating water crisis in many region.

From a property owner perspective, the linear water consumption translates into increasing utility bills for both water and energy as significant amounts of energy is flushed into the drain together with precious water.

The adaptation of various water reuse schemes  has the potential to mitigate the escalating crisis by decreasing the demand on municipal potable water, while at the same time reducing the water and energy bills as linear water use is moving towards circularity.

A reduction in water demand from new developments will offset the need for costly investments in the infrastructure, reduce the pressure on water supply sources and may also offer and opportunity to specifically target the removal of emerging priority pollutant from personal hygiene products and pharmaceuticals, something that proves a challenge in the municipal wastewater treatment plants.

As technology matures along regulations water reuse will be implemented in an increasing share of new developments, and maybe even retrofitted into existing building stock. This development must be supported by research efforts to ensure a efficient, safe and secure implementation and to avoid potentially costly mistakes.

Below are some links (in Swedish) to illustrate the development in Sweden.

1. https://sjostad.ivl.se/Sjostadsverket/aktuella-utvecklingsfragor/ateranvandning-av-avloppsvatten.html
2. https://www.hsb.se/hsblivinglab/projekt-i-huset/atervinninggravatten/
3. https://hplus.helsingborg.se/miljo/nytt-avfallsystem/
4. https://www.vatterhem.se/aktuellt/forst-i-varlden-med-sjalvforsorjande-hyreshus/