Water …Residential Conservation and Recycling

Bill Bardin

Air and Water PollutionPrevention and Control Engineering

RPI – Fall 2013

Professor Gutierrez-Miravete

• The average American family uses over 300 gallons of water per day.

• Toilets – 27%• Washing Clothes – 22%• Showers – 17%

• One pound of beef requires almost 1,300 gallons of water.• A bushel of corn yields 2.5 gallons of ethanol but requires 2,500

gallons of water.• 40% of US corn production goes to ethanol• US production of corn: 12.36 x109 Bushels

• Topsoil totaling over 4.8x109 tons was blown away during the dust bowl years due to lack of rain and poor land management.

• In 2009, Colorado passed laws essentially outlawing rainwater harvesting.

• 75% of electricity in Iceland comes from hydroelectric sources.• They estimate they will deplete their water supplies in 100 years.• The other 25% comes from geothermal sources.

Water Facts

Harvesting Rainwater

• One inch of rain on 2,000 ft2 of roof, yields 1,250 gallons of water.• According to the U.S. EPA, 50 to 70 % of total household water is used

for landscape irrigation and other outdoor activities(US EPA, 2009)• Rain water is considered soft water, and therefore significantly lowers

the amount of detergents and soaps needed for cleaning.

FromSimple

to complex.

OldBecomes

new,again.

• Types of Residential Waste Water• White water – Potable water• Grey water – Shower, Bath, Laundry, Lavatory Basin• Dark water – Kitchen waste, food, strong detergents• Black water – Toilets, Laundry (if washing diapers, etc.)

• All of the above sources can be recycled to one degree or another.• Many municipalities ban the recycling of Dark and Black water.• Typical use of Grey water

• Toilets• Laundry• Irrigation

Grey Water Recycling

• Typically more complex than rain water recycling.

• Water receives chlorine or iodine treatment prior to reuse.

• Grey water can be used for irrigation with minimal treatment.

• Requires more infrastructure than rainwater recycling.

• Both require lifestyle changes.

Grey Water Systems

Questions?

Comments?

Feedback?

http://www.greenbuildingenergysavings.com/greywater-systems.phphttp://graywatergardening.comhttp://www.solusrenewableenergy.co.uk/rainwater-harvesting.htmlhttp://www.edwardsaquifer.net/rainharvesting.htmlhttp://vwrrc.vt.edu/swc/NonPBMPSpecsMarch11/VASWMBMPSpec6RAINWATERHARVESTING.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/watersense/outdoor/rainwater_reuse.html