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
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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.
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.
]]>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).
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.”
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“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.”
Harvesting rainwater has long been the norm in rural areas that reticulated water doesn’t reach, yet it’s still not common in New Zealand’s urban areas. We lag far behind Australia, where drought and pressure on water supply are motivating changes in household water use and government subsidies for rainwater collection. More than half of Adelaide households have rainwater tanks for example.
There’s a lot to consider about how you harvest rainwater. But for urban households already connected to reticulated water, first you need to consider why you might do that.
Water security
Your family needs water to survive an emergency. That’s the single most compelling reason to have some means to harvest rainwater. Urban water researcher Martin Payne lives in Wellington city, where water comes from Kaitoke in the Hutt Valley. “The pipeline is about 45 km long and it crosses a major fault line three times. In an earthquake, it is very likely the network will be significantly affected. It may be years before some houses can be connected to the water network again.”
How much water do you need in an emergency? Some guidelines say three liters per person per day, but that’s the absolute bare minimum for short-term survival, says Martin. WHO guidelines call for 20–40 liters.
A four-person household may need at least 80 liters of water per day. “That’s 80 kilosyou have to transport, every day, in whatever containers you have available,” warns Martin. “In my opinion, that’s what will drive half the population out of the city following an emergency.”
Water conservation
Harvesting rainwater from your own roof is a way to get around water restrictions applied by local bodies in many parts of the country. Many local bodies have introduced water meters, so reducing your use of town supply will save money on water charges.
However, there are bigger issues that go beyond a simple dollar calculation. “City surfaces are increasingly impermeable, so rainwater becomes stormwater and it’s shed quickly,” says Martin. High volumes are released quickly into urban streams, disturbing the ecosystem and reducing water quality.
There’s a lot of infrastructure and cost involved in treating reticulated water to drinking water quality – but very little of that water is used for drinking. Much of it is used to flush toilets.
Martin’s modelling suggests that a household with a modest 1000–3000 liter rainwater tank (plumbed to the laundry, toilet and outside taps), combined with reasonably efficient water use, could still halve its use of potable water.
Water quality
Rainwater may be preferable to town supply in places where reticulated water is poor quality. And some organic gardeners prefer to use rainwater rather than chlorinated town water on their gardens.
How to harvest Rainwater
When you intend to build a new home, include it right from the start. Certain sized tanks require a building consent. You also require a consent when you intend to use the rainwater for secondary use (toilet flushing and/or washing machine) or primary use (shower and so on), as the required plumbing and drainage has to be consented. The work has to be done by a registered plumber and drain-layer.
If you don’t have the funds for rainwater harvesting in your budget at least future proof your house. Thus installation is far cheaper and easier in the future if you are able to do so.
The degree of water treatment (filter, UV, etc.) depends on the enduse and also on the area you are living in (trees, birds).
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