A Greywater Recycling Systems, like the AQUALOOP System for example, can produce hygienic and clean water from shower, tub and bathroom sink, which can be reused.
(image: BRANZ)
The potential saving by recycling greywater can be up to 40% of potable water in a domestic environment. The AQUALOOP is not only saving potable water, but also sewage, as water which normally will be discharged into the sewer system will be reused, therefore saving twice.
The modular system can be used for small domestic dwellings and for commercial projects.
The AQUALOOP system has a NSF and BS certification, the only system that has achieved it so far.
It works with a tertiary treatment:
- coarse filtration
- aerated treatment
- membrane filtration (membrane life expectancy up to 10 years)
and eliminates 99.9999% of all bacteria and 99.7% of all viruses.
More info from:
Aloaqua Ltd
email: [email protected]
web: www.aloaqua.co.nz
]]>We promote the reuse of Greywater for over 5 years now. Our system AQUALOOP has NSF and BS certification. Our system was consented and installed in AUCKLAND, CHRISTCHURCH, TAURANGA, QUEENSTOWN LAKES DISTRICT, TAUPO, INVERCARGILL etc and the treated greywater can be used for spray irrigation.
Potable Water from Rainwater System
Rainwater collected from the roof of the house is pre-filtered via a PURAIN filter and collected in a 10000 ltr tank. The integrated AQUALOOP water treatment system micro filtrates (0.2 micron) the rainwater and transfers it to a separate 500 ltr holding tank. The speed controlled RAINMASTER FAVORIT SC 20 pumping and control unit supplies the house with the micro filtrated rain water and maintains a pre-set pressure in the line. The unit will switch over to mains supply if not enough rainwater is available and back to rainwater if it has rained again, all by itself. Thus only using the mains water supply that is required. No tank top up!
All the potable water supply, regardless if it is filtered rain- or mains water is treated with a UV system, thus eliminating any bacteria or viruses that could enter via the mains supply.
Greywater Recycling System
The bathroom greywater is pre-filtered and collected in a 500 ltr tank. The integrated AQUALOOP System is treating the greywater, breaking down organic compounds, micro filtrates (0.2 microns) the water and transfers it to a seperate 500 ltr holding tank.
A RAINMASTER ECO 10, pumping and control unit, supplies toilets, the washing machine and an outdoor tap with recycled bathroom greywater, thus saving up to 40% on potable water.
This AQUALOOP system is the one of many greywater system in Christchurch , Auckland, Queenstown, Tauranga etc, etc. the only NSF/ANSI 350 Class C certified system on the market.
Membranes have a life expectancy of up to 10 years with minimum maintenance requirements. The system was also tested by the Rainwater Harvesting Centre at Massey University Wellington. It is modular and can be sized from small domestic up to big commercial applications (life style, hotels, motels, camping grounds, swimming centers, laundries, office blocks, gyms etc, etc.).
INTEWA CEO and owner Oliver Ringelstein and Bob Drew from Ecovie, the exclusive INTEWA representative for the USA, led a whirlwind trip from Alaska to Los Angeles. The first stop was at a laundromat in Alaska. Here AQUALOOP technology allows for the reuse of the laundromat wastewater together with shower water. Even though in Alaska there is water everywhere the prices in this location are particularly high. Lack of supply and quality problems exist with the available water. AQUALOOP technology allows the operator to have the best water quality and a fast system amortization.
Drinking water from rainwater RAINMASTER DUPLEX
with AQUALOOP ultrafiltration pumping and control unit
The next stops on the west coast trip included Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Due to the continual droughts in this area greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting, and wastewater reuse are themes of increasing importance. With the only NSF/ANSI 350 Class C certification INTEWA systems meet the stringent requirements for the region.
The greywater system installed at the famous Eatalyin Los Angeles was showcased in an earlier newsletter, but the system is so interesting that we would like to show it off again. The system is special in that it is presented in a large, descriptive showcase in the middle of the luxury foodie complex.
Bathroom greywater (bath, tub and sink) will be collected in a tank, treated with the AQUALOOP system and reused for flushing toilets, the washing machine and irrigation. Thus saving between 30-40% of potable water and sewage.
The RAINMASTER ECO 10 pumping and control unit supplies the treated water to the end users. It switches over to mains water if not enough treated water is available without any loss of comfort for the home owner.
A rainwater harvesting system, also part of the renovation, filters and collects the run-off from the roof in an in-ground rainwater tank.
A pumping unit and UV system will be used to supply the treated water to the house.
More information available;
www.aloaqua.co.nz [email protected] +64 32600 589
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Bathroom greywater from shower, tub and sink is collected in a 500 ltr tank, treated via the AQUALOOP system, transferred into a 500 ltr clear water tank and reused for flushing toilets and irritation when required. Thus saving on precious potable water.
Installed in the enclosure is the pumping unit RAINMASTER ECO, AQUALOOP Blower and the AQUALOOP controller. 2 x 500 ltr tanks are installed behind the enclosure.
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Using rainwater for flushing toilets and washing machines is maybe something new in New Zealand, but is already standard in most European and other countries. Solutions using rainwater for various applications offer new possibilities for property owners, developers and councils.
Rainwater is of such good quality that it can be used as potable water, with the right technology. No bacteria, nitrate and chemicals and instead soft water which causes no calcification in pipes, hot water cylinders and on surfaces.
Mitigating the effect of storm water run off from properties, by retaining and using it on site, reducing the volume of potable water use and offering new areas of work for installers.
Examples of rainwater harvesting and utilization systems: www.aloaqua.co.nz
One manufacturer of rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling equipment in Germany has started to brew it's own beer from rainwater (Brain - http://www.brainwaterbeer.com/) to showcase how good it taste (I had a bottle and it taste really nice).
Rainwater attenuation, - retention
The increase of sealed surfaces in urban areas put additional pressure on the existing stormwater infrastructure. More and more councils require now rainwater attenuation/ retention systems to be installed for new developments. Innovative systems that are cost effective, space saving and require low maintenance are already used in densely populated areas in Europe. More information: Rainwater attenuation/ retention
More info: www.aloaqua.co.nz
contact: ALOAQUA
Phone: +64 3 2600 589
email: [email protected]
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The installation of a combined Greywater Recycling and Rainwater Harvesting system from ALOAQUA will save on potable water and sewage. In addition the rainwater tank helps to minimize the impact of the property on surface flooding. Greywater is available everyday and it makes perfect sense to capture, treat and reuse it for secondary use (toilets, irrigation, cleaning).
Greywater collected from the bathrooms (sink, tub, shower) is collected and treated in a 500 ltr tank via the AQUALOOP system. The tertiary treatment (pre-filtration, aeration and membrane filtration) eliminates all coarse particles, bacteria (99.9999%) and virus (99.7%). The treatment process is monitored and controlled via the AQUALOOP controller which initiates each step of the process.
The treated water is filtered through the membrane (0.2micons) and transferred into the rainwater tank after the required treatment time. The membrane is back-flushed in regular intervals in order to open up any clogged openings. The expected lifecycle of the membrane is 10 years.
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The Rainwater collected from the roof is filtered via the PURAIN filter and added to the tank (5000 ltr) via the calmed inlet from the PLURAFIT range.
The pumping and control unit RAINMASTER FAVORIT SC20 ensures a steady and reliable water flow to the points of use (toilet and outdoor taps). The unit switches over, by itself, to mains water supply if the water level in the tank reaches a critical low level and back again if the water level rises again. No interruption to the clients at all!
A great system that will significantly lower the ecological footprint of this property but will also enable the owners to have water available during restrictions, drought or in emergency situations.
More info available via: www.aloaqua.co.nz [email protected]
]]>Christchurch water charges to be considered next year
Gardening is a major user of water, particularly in the Garden City.
Staff are working on a report on ways the city's water can be priced, which will likely include a volumetric charge. The issue will be included in next year's Long Term Plan (LTP) process.
Water currently comes under a general rates bill, meaning water costs are tied to a property's value. A volumetric rate would charge for the amount of water used, encouraging people to use less.
Espresso Carwash Cafe co-owner Damian Curtain was relaxed about the prospect of a volumetric water charge as his business was environmentally friendly and not a big water user.
READ MORE: Water charges on the horizon
Christchurch uses about 129 million litres of water per day, which nearly doubles over the summer months, primarily because of irrigation for gardening.
Usage per person is about double that of Auckland, which charges about $1.40 per 1000L.
The water charging review came up in a council subcommittee discussion this week about promoting the use of rainwater tanks.
The last time the prospect of a water charge came up was 2015, during the last LTP review. The idea was dropped.
"There is a piece of work going on for the LTP looking at the review of water pricing," said John Mackie, head of three waters and waste, when asked if it was back on the agenda.
Demand for water in Christchurch is expected to rise as the population grows. The climate of eastern Canterbury is expected to become more dry in the coming decades, adding further pressure.
Councillors at the meeting said there was a clear need to conserve more water and changing the pricing method could achieve that.
"My position isn't necessarily that we charge for water, but we'll need to come up with a position that makes the people of Christchurch respect what's in our taps a lot more than what we currently do," councillor Aaron Keown said.
"We [currently] charge based on the price of your property, so a little old lady in Fendalton is paying five times more for her water than a flat of young fellas in Linwood. There's no reason for her to save her rainwater... or the guys to save theirs."
He said a volumetric charge would have little impact on the average ratepayer.
"It would only be cents. But it's the fact that mentally you're thinking 'I'm saving money' ... you change behaviours."
Christchurch Beautifying Association president Ron Andrew said the group "would strenuously oppose" a volumetric water fee in the city.
"It's absolute nonsense to say water's not available," he said.
"We are the Garden City and, if we're going to be honest to ourselves when we talk about the Garden City, then we have to provide two things: maintenance and, of course, water."
Andrew said gardeners using excessive water every day was a "myth".
Others used "far more water than they have to" washing cars, houses and flushing toilets. He believed a volumetric fee system would negatively affect those who needed more water.
"People will stop using water and so the cost will go on fewer people. I would expect it [the cost] would then go up."
Damian Curtain, co-owner of Addington's Espresso Carwash Franchise Ltd, was not concerned as his business was environmentally friendly and not a large water user.
Cars were washed with a fine spray so each clean used about 30 litres of water, he said.
Most Christchurch houses already have water meters installed.
Saving water would have economic and environmental benefits. Extracting the groundwater and handling wastewater came at a cost.
Earlier this year, an OECD report into New Zealand's environmental performance recommended councils adopt volumetric charging for water.
It said water consumption per household in Auckland had fallen 30 per cent since a volumetric charge was introduced in the late 1990s.
There were similar reductions in Nelson and Tauranga, where volumetric charging was introduced.
It is illegal for councils to profit from water, so a volumetric rate would be based on the cost of supplying water.
Council city services manager David Adamson said on Friday staff were "looking at the existing infrastructure and what is feasible around volumetric charging".
Whether it was included in the LTP was a council decision.
A council staff report into subsidising rainwater tanks found there would be little benefit, primarily because there was no financial incentive to conserve water.
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Capturing rainwater and reusing (treated) greywater will save the owner not only potable water and sewage charges but is also better for the plants they intend to water with it. Benefits for the council are less stress on their infrastructure (storm water, potable water and sewage), less maintenance and less expenses.
]]>The conventional and common approach to water management involves supplying potable water and disposing of waste - and stormwater. It is becoming increasingly apparent that this conventional, centralized approach must change in response to urbanization trends and climate predictions. As the availability of clean freshwater resources is diminished, it is becoming clear that in particular grey- and stormwater should be viewed as alternative and valuable sources of water, and not just inconveniences needing to be dealt with.
Consequently, rainwater collection and reuse and the reuse of highly treated greywater are attracting increased attention. They are most-commonly provided for non potable end uses but potable reuse is also gaining traction.
Many communities have begun to implement simple and relatively inexpensive water-reuse projects, such as irrigating golf courses and parks, and the benefits of these are seen almost immediately. Benefits from widespread adoption include improved reliability and drought resistance of the water supply, utility savings in infrastructure maintenance and deferred capital expenses, and the immediate rewards of green and lush outdoor recreation spaces.
There are also environmental advantages to consider. The use of reclaimed water ensures the transfer of nutrients to beneficial uses rather than discharging them into receiving waterways. Contamination of bays and lakes with nutrient-rich stormwater and wastewater increases the risk of eutrophication (excessively high nutrient concentrations), the consequences of which include low dissolved oxygen concentrations, algal blooms, and declining shellfish populations and periodic fish kills.
Increased and more widespread use of reclaimed water typically brings with it greater financial, technical, and institutional challenges. Upfront capital costs may be higher, but payback on these water-reclamation systems may be realized sooner by building owners, depending on the region. Regulators and citizens express concerns about the safety of using reclaimed water for domestic purposes because of the perceived risks and uncertainties. These challenges have limited the application of water reuse in the past. However, 21st-century technology, for example the AQUALOOP system, exists to safely produce recycled water at a relatively low costs. Combined with the increased need to do so, we should now be striving for new paradigms in water supply and management.
Water efficiency, conservation
Significant reductions in water use can be made by insisting that water-efficient fixtures meet building code, instead of installing older-style high-flow units. These include water-efficient dual-flush toilets, low-flow showerheads, low-flush urinals, flush less urinals, low-flow faucets, and flow restrictors.
External landscaping with minimal water requirements also promotes water savings. Landscaping can be designed with the use of drought-tolerant species, garden mulch techniques that minimize water losses, and subsurface irrigation methods including automated irrigation systems with rain and moisture sensors to ensure optimum application of irrigation water.
To understand where water savings can be made, a detailed water-balance model of the project should be carried out during the design phase. This process will identify all possible water savings by incorporating uncomplicated water-efficiency strategies into the development design. Using this approach, the use of water-efficient fixtures and water-conservation design strategies can reduce an average retail or commercial development's overall water use by more than 40%.
Identifying water-reuse opportunities
Opportunities associated with the design and installation of water-reuse systems will vary significantly from one building project to the next. Analysis of the water-balance model at the outset of the project will reveal any opportunities for alternate water supply, water conservation, and water recycling. Water-balance modeling will also reveal the availability of rainwater and wastewater that could be captured and treated for reuse.
All aspects of building operations that involve water should be investigated and potential sources of water identified. Both internal and external water sources should be considered.
Treatment infrastructure, which often includes filtration and disinfection, will be required to ensure water is of a suitable quality for its intended use. Relatively clean water sources, such as roof water, are relatively straightforward to collect and are suitable for non-potable use with little pretreatment. Ligh contaminated greywater require a higher degree of treatment to make them fit for use. Greywater recycling methods usually have greater treatment costs than rainwater collection and reuse, but they also have the added advantage of year-round water-source availability—so they are not reliant on seasonal rainfall patterns and climate.
Supplying reclaimed water to non-potable applications where the risk of human contact is very low can be an excellent way of offsetting the consumption of potable-water sources. For example, with cooling tower water, the level of direct human contact is minimal. However, to reduce the risk of illness caused by airborne and waterborne pathogens, the level of disinfection prior to reuse should be in line with the risks involved. Non-potable demands include toilet and urinal flushing, irrigation, and cooling towers. Potable demands include water for kitchen use, showers, and sinks It is important to understand the relative proportions of potable and non-potable demand, and this can be achieved through the water-balancing process.
In office complexes, the amount of water used for toilet and urinal flushing is proportionally higher than the amount used in showers. In apartment-, hotel- and rest home buildings, the opposite is true—water used for bathing and showering exceeds the toilet-flushing demand (see Figure 1).
Buildings and complexes with water-cooled boilers or cooling towers for air conditioning require large volumes of water to feed these systems. Properties with large gardens and lawns tend to use a significant portion of their water budgets for outdoor irrigation.
The current level of public acceptance and regulations in some areas mean little opportunity for the use of harvested or recycled water for potable use. To ensure water reuse is an option, the engineer must manage potential public health, operational, and environmental risks associated with the specific application. The primary risks associated with the use of reclaimed water are:
- Public health, which refers to inadvertent contact with the water and subsequent ingestion of pathogens and toxins, particularly relevant in the health and immunocompromised sectors.
- Environmental, which refers to the accumulation of contaminants in irrigated soils and plants or detrimental hydrological effects as a result of water extraction.
- Availability, which is dependent on rainfall patterns and catchment activities, sizing of treatment plants and buffer tanks, and maintenance schedules and equipment downtime.
- Operational, such as potential clogging and fouling of distribution systems and mechanical equipment with suspended and precipitated solids, and staining of toilet bowls.
Given the different treatment requirements of the various rain- and greywater sources and the potentially different end-use water qualities required, a detailed water-balance and feasibility assessment should be undertaken in all system designs.
- Peter Harbour, PhD, and Robyn Overall, PhD, CJ Arms and Associates
- How is water used? - Dr Lee Bint (BRANZ Sustainable Building Scientist)
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Beside Rainwater Harvesting- and Utilization Systems, Greywater Recycling Systems gain more and more importance. The AQUALOOP System for example produces hygienic and clean water from from shower, tub and bathroom sink, which can be reused for flushing toilets, washing machine or irrigation.
The potential saving by recycling greywater can be up to 40% of potable water in a domestic environment. The AQUALOOP is not only saving potable water, but also sewage, as water which normally will be discharged into the sewer system will be reused, therefore saving twice.
Sample of an AQUALOOP system for a motel, hotel or apartment block.
The modular system can be used for small domestic dwellings (~6 persons) up to medium sized commercial projects (up to 200 persons).
The AQUALOOP system has a NSF certification, the only system that has achieved it so far.
It works with a tertiary treatment:
- coarse filtration
- aerated treatment
- membrane filtration (membrane life expectancy up to 10 years)
and eliminates 99.9999% of all bacteria and 99.7% of all viruses.
The modular system can be used for small domestic dwellings (~6 persons) up to medium sized commercial projects (up to 200 persons).
More info from:
Aloaqua Ltd
email: [email protected]
web: www.aloaqua.co.nz
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Water stewardship is an extremely important aspect of good environmental practice for hotels. Many use reduced flow and flush in bathrooms, but how many are recycling water?
Water re-use is becoming core to many companies’ sustainability efforts and it’s never been more important. Freshwater withdrawals have increased globally by about 1% per year since the 1980s (UN, 2016) and it is estimated that water scarcity now affects 40% of the global population (CAWMA, 2007). Even in the UK some areas are reporting difficulties in meeting demand.
Hotels often do a lot to manage water consumption. Low flow taps and showers or aerators, reduced flush toilets or no flush urinals, sensor activation and good housekeeping practices all help to reduce the amount of water per guest, per room and per stay. But, even with these measures many guests admit to using much water during a hotel stay than they would at home, and in some water scarce areas, the difference in consumption between a hotel guest and the local population can be up to 20 times and dozens of litres.
Anything hotels can do to better manage their water consumption is a good thing, but how many look at recycling water?
Significant water consumption savings can be made from re-use initiatives. Rainwater harvesting can reduce mains water consumption by up to 30% whereas greywater recycling can save as much as 40%. Aside from lower metered water bills, companies can also benefit from reduced risks of storm water flooding, decreased sewerage charges and lower energy costs associated with water supply.
Last month on World Water Day Waterscan unveiled its next generation range of greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting technologies. The new water re-use solutions offer commercial organisations a variety of cost-efficient, reliable and highly effective options to help achieve their sustainability goals.
Claire Yeates, a Director at Waterscan said: “Many companies are aware of the benefits of water re-use but are naturally concerned about payback times and the potential operational impacts of installing new technologies. Add to this reliability issues from early-to-market systems and it’s easy to see why widescale uptake of water recycling has been hindered. We firmly believe that greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting can play a significant role in many company’s water strategies and that is why we are bringing new best-in-class technology to market.”
The various water recycling systems have been developed to give greater system design flexibility in line with customer priorities and requirements, plus a 30% faster return on investment. Waterscan systems now feature:
- Multiple tiered redundancy to ensure complete integrity of supply.
- Built-in telemetry which transmits system data and live diagnostics for preventative maintenance.
- Siemens smart user interface for usage data and enhanced system monitoring.
- Variable speed, load sharing pumps, insulation and slow close valves for an even quieter operation.
- Low energy components so the system can produce 1m3 using just 1.5Kw/h energy.
- A smaller system footprint which reduces installation costs and impact on building footprint.
Barry Millar, Operations Director at Waterscan, said, “Our new water re-use systems are now designed and largely built in the UK using modular components. This enables us to meet clients’ exact specifications in line with individual business strategies and site requirements. Our complete service involving design, supply installation and maintenance of water-saving systems, along with our consultative approach, gives us a unique ability to deliver optimum results across varied client property portfolios. All of this means that our clients will benefit from a faster return on investment and still have complete confidence in their operations.”
Greywater Recycling in Action at Premier Inn
In partnership with its client Premier Inn, Waterscan installed a greywater recycling system in water-scarce Abu Dhabi. The initiative is vastly reducing mains water consumption, saving an average of 735,000 litres (24%) of mains water each month - 60 litres per guest. Over the course of a year, this is the equivalent of 110,000 baths. 100% of toilet flushing at the hotel now uses recycled water.
Greywater Recycling
Greywater recycling captures the water used for showering or bathing and, after treatment through an ultra-filtration membrane system, is fed back into the property for non-potable purposes such as flushing toilets, irrigation and laundry.
- Greywater Recycling Batch System: where low energy consumption is a priority and there is physical space for a larger system footprint, this low pressure filtration method takes a little longer but uses less energy in the process.
- Greywater Recycling On-Demand System: where space saving and a faster return on investment are priorities, this high pressure approach delivers rapid ultrafiltration and therefore requires less tank storage and correspondingly reduced installation costs.
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater is collected, filtered and fed back into the property through a robust treatment system ensuring that only the cleanest water is utilised for non-potable purposes like vehicle washing, toilet flushing and irrigation. A rainwater harvesting system is suitable for all commercial applications where there is adequate roof space to harvest sufficient water to achieve a good return on investment.
Hoteliers, developers and consultants interested in learning more about water conservation can contact us on:
or call us on +64 3 2600 589
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Sprawling cities gave way to the built up of waste, including dirty water. At first, cities were able to control the water going through the drains, but that is changing. Wastewater is a lot grittier and contains more contaminants than ever before. Water is still one of the earth’s most precious commodities, making it imperative that serious changes are implemented regarding how wastewater is treated.
Recycling Greywater from Showers for secondary use is easy and safe with the right system. www.aloaqua.co.nz
Our system has a tertiary treatment, coarse filtration, biological treatment (aeration) and membrane filtration (0.2 micron).
Water is the basis for the entire biosphere. Ponds, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and oceans are the habitat for myriad plants and animals and are a key component of the ecosystem. Groundwater is one of our main source of drinking water and a habitat. We use water for our food, daily hygiene, and recreational activities. Water also plays a key economic role as an energy source, transportation medium and raw material.
Efficient protection and conservation of water resources are crucially important for biodiversity and sustainable use.
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Rainwater Harvesting - replaces municipal water with clean , soft and free rainwater.
Greywater Reuse - slightly contaminated water from the bathroom (shower, tub, sink) and washing machine to reuse for toilet flushing, irrigation and cleaning purpose.
Non-potable water from Septic Tanks - recycling of run-off from a septic system for toilet flushing and irrigation.
Adiabatic Cooling - with rainwater much of the energy to cool buildings and cost for water softeners can be saved.
more info under: www.aloaqua.co.nz
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Rainwater Harvesting - utilize rainwater from the roof and store in tanks for use inside and outside the home.
Greywater Recycling - treat water from the bathroom (showers, baths and sink) to reuse for flushing toilets, the washing machine and irrigation. A well designed Greywater Recycling System can save up to 40% of potable water and also sewage - you use water twice!
Adopt Water Wise habits - change the way you use water and use efficient products and appliances.
- Look for water efficient units when you buy a new:
- Dishwasher
- Washing machine
- Toilets
- taps and shower heads
- Habits
- you'll save over 425 liter a month by spending 2 minutes less in the shower
- plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature
- a family of 4 can save 94 liters/ week by turning off the tap while brushing the teeth
- turn the water off while you shampoo and condition hair can save more than 180 liters a week
- run the dishwasher only when it is full
- don't use running water to thaw food
much more can be done in and around the hose to be more water efficient, just have a look at your water consumption and have a think about it.
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Tanks have arrived on site and have been craned into their position.
Another AQUALOOP combined Greywater Recycling and Rainwater Harvesting System in Christchurch pretty soon.
Event is organized by the New Zealand Green Building Council.
More information:
Products Showcase & member drinks - Auckland
If you are an Architect, Designer, Specifier or Engineer you should come along to this FREE MEMBER EVENT for some drinks, nibbles and the opportunity to learn more about innovative products and services that are currently in the market.
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Capturing rainwater and reusing (treated) greywater will save the owner not only potable water and sewage charges but is also better for the plants they intend to water with it. Benefits for the council are less stress on their infrastructure (storm water, potable water and sewage), less maintenance and less expenses.
In an exciting development, our AQUALOOP System 6 - GW 300 L has just received international certification from the public health and safety watchdog - NSF International. This is one of the most respected independent certification organisations (not-for-profit) in existence today. It provides assurance to the public that AQUALOOP has been tested, audited and approved as compliant to stringent health standards.
AQUALOOP is the first 'Onsite Residential and Commercial Water Reuse Treatment' system in New Zealand to receive this certification.
The NSF certification mark on a product means that the product complies with all standard requirements.
This is what we wanted regarding water use in the city. What happened?
Water
Grey water and stormwater collection systems and re-use should be incorporated into new building design.
- Make use of grey water.
- “Grey-water functions as compulsory for all new high-density buildings in the CBD.”
- “Think more than Central City. All new houses should have solar water heating; & rainwater and/or greywater tanks for toilet and garden use.”
- “Grey-water can be used and black water further broken down.”
- “Spacious with balcony and roof garden everywhere using recycle waste water.”
-
“I want each house to have a minimum of a 1000-litre drinking water tank, a 30,000-litre tank for garden use, shared between 2 or 3 houses.”
- Make use of stormwater and rainwater.
- “Small rain-gardens behind the kerb to capture some stormwater and provide ‘green pockets’.”
- “Should also contain gardens of some sort so that when it rains then excess water would drain through the garden and can be stored to irrigate those gardens when needed, but to also be used to fill toilets cisterns, etc…”
- “Allow people to store rainwater – this will reduce the peaks of flooding and droughts.”
- “Water collected from roofs for garden watering and green lawns.”
Christchurch’s rivers are the lowest they’ve been in several decades, records show.
Several of the city’s waterways dried up earlier this year, upsetting residents. Months later, some streams remain low and will likely dry up again next year if rain does not arrive.
Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) Christchurch-West Melton zone committee met with the Christchurch City Council on Tuesday to give a monthly report on its work in greater Christchurch.
Recordings from the headwaters of the Avon, Heathcote and Styx rivers showed they were at their lowest levels in 20 to 30 years, the committee said.
Tributaries such as the Waimairi and Wai-Iti streams near Fendalton dried up completely earlier this year. Water levels had dropped in the past, but not to the same extent.
The Christchurch-West Melton zone was one of the “luckier zones”, the committee said, as most of the inflow into the aquifer north-west of the city came from the Waimakariri River. The rest came from rainfall recharge.
ECan surface water science manager Tim Davie said last month’s rainfall levels were “well below” average in the city and groundwater was at a record low.
“To get the amount of groundwater recharge for streams not to dry up next summer we need a very wet late winter and spring.”
Fish and Game North Canterbury manager Rod Cullinane said his organisation was concerned about the low water levels and did not believe low rainfall was the issue.
“We are very much of the view that there’s got to be some link between what we’re seeing in the lack of water in the inner city streams and the irrigation draw off in inland Canterbury,” he said.
“We do not accept ECan’s reasoning that it is simply the result of a lack of rainfall.”
Cullinane, who is running in ECan’s election in October, said he wanted to know why the regional council did not take rainfall levels into account when granting water usage consents.
Climate changes had increased pressure on water supplies, but urbanisation and city water demand took the greatest toll on the city’s waterways, University of Canterbury professor Bryan Jenkins said.
“The more we take out for the Christchurch water supply, the less that will be in the Avon, Heathcote and Styx rivers.”
Jenkins said infrastructure such as roads and roofs prevented stormwater from infiltrating groundwater and recharging aquifers.
He suggested that for streams such as the Waimairi, local solutions could include changing the city’s approach to drainage infrastructure.
Older infrastructure sent stormwater to surface water, preventing recharge of the waterways.
He said caps or regulation on water usage needed to be put in place to decrease pressure on river headwaters.
“The drying reaches of the Waimairi and Wai-iti streams illustrate the complexity of our water resources and the need for both local and regional approaches to their management.”
– Stuff
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