Water

By Amber Fagan

Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink.
Water, water everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834),
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" 1798

To many Americans, water seems like an unlimited resource. We shower, do laundry, wash our car, and fill our swimming pools to the tune of 280 gallons per US household each day. And most of this water can be reused for other purposes to help the environment and protect our waterways.

Water reclamation is a process by which “water used in houses and businesses goes down the drain and becomes wastewater, which is then cleaned using biological and chemical processes so the water can be returned to the environment safely to augment the natural systems from which they came.” The used water passes through a series of tanks, filters, and treatment systems to clean the water for reuse. The treated water is either purified for release back into the environment or is sent to users around the cities, which may include golf courses, agricultural uses, cooling towers, and land fills.

It is important to note that most water plants do treat the reclaimed water to meet drinking standards, so do not drink, bathe, or swim in reclaimed water. However, a process called reverse osmosis is may be a step toward making reclaimed water drinkable for humans.

iStockphoto.com/Ruta Saulyte-Laurinaviciene

Rainwater reclamation is a growing process by which rainwater is harvested for use in commercial and residential buildings. Even though concerns for acid rain and pollution in rain exist in most urban areas, many systems exist now to use untreated rainwater for nonpotable uses or treated rainwater for direct potable use. But there are concerns that harvesting rainwater will reduce the runoff amount that enters natural bodies of water.

“The water use in most homes has long been thought of in terms of clean white water coming in and sewage, or black water, going out. Gray water, as the name implies, is something in between.” Gray water is water that is used for dish washing, washing machines, and bathing. It i not sanitary, but it is also “not toxic and generally disease free”.

Employing gray water techniques helps alleviate the strain on overburdened sewage systems and can have a positive effect on your wallet, since this process will lower your water and sewage bills. “However, concerns over potential health and environmental risks mean that many jurisdictions demand such intensive treatment systems for legal reuse of grey water that the commercial cost is higher than for fresh water.” It is generally considered safer to use the gray water process in single family households than in multiple family dwelling areas since members of one family contain an existing reservoir of micro-organisms. Gray water must be collected separate from black –or sewage –water and may be used within the home (such as bath water used for flushing toilets) or garden.

Gray water that has passed through a number of filtration and processing methods can be stored for later use. “Additionally, reusing gray water's otherwise wasted nutrients from soap and food can sustain plant life and recharge topsoil. However, recycling gray water requires more effort, brings the risk of contamination and pollution if mismanaged, and adds installation and upkeep costs for more involved systems. Also, gray water should not be used where children or pets may come into contact with it.”

As the world population continues to grow, finding new and innovative sources of water will be paramount. Water reclamation is a major step toward helping the environment and ensuring there is enough water to meet the world’s needs.