Reusing grey water for flushing urinals and toilets and irrigating non-edible areas is a great way to minimize pressure on limited water resources. This water comes from bathtubs, showers, sinks, and laundry.
Defining Greywater
The exact definition of greywater differs from state to state. It typically includes any household wastewater except the one that comes in direct contact with human waste or contains a large quantity of organic material.
According to Chapter 381 of the Florida Statutes, grey water includes water from washing machines, showers, sinks, and laundry trays and doesn’t include water from kitchen sinks (Florida Statutes 2008). Water originating from kitchen drains, urinals, and toilets is categorized as blackwater and must directly connect with an onsite sewage system or public sewer (Florida Building Codes 2007).
How can Greywater Be Reused?
Similar to how the definition of greywater differs from one state to the next, so do its permitted uses. Arid states that are more prone to droughts, such as Texas, California, and New Mexico, have put together more comprehensive guidelines and regulations for reusing greywater.
Before 1st March 2009, the Florida Building Code completely adopted and followed the International Plumbing Code for greywater usage. During this period, greywater was only approved for flushing toilets and urinals and for watering subsurface landscapes.
However, after 1st March 2009, the Florida Building Code was revised to specify that greywater can only be used for flushing water closets and urinals, and any excess discharge from the property must be disposed of in an onsite sewage treatment plant as per the Chapter 64 E-6 of the Florida Administrative Code.
Landscape irrigation is no longer allowed as part of greywater recycling in the Florida Building Code. The state also requires all greywater recycling systems to be NSF 350 certified.
GreywaterReuse Requirements in Florida: A Breakdown of Greywater Recycling System
There are four main requirements for the different components of a greywater recycling system. These include:
Filter System
Before reaching the greywater storage reservoir, the water must be cleaned using an authorized media, diatomaceous earth, or sand filter. An approved filter system adheres to the official code or other authority, such as the Florida Building Code 2007.
Filtering the water before it reaches the reservoir eliminates the growth of human pathogens and bacteria. Additionally, a full-open value must be installed to allow the greywater to travel through the whole cross-section of the pipe and not create any hindrances.
Storage Reservoir
Greywater reservoirs are required to be made from damage-resistant, durable, and non-absorbent material. They must also be gas-tight, closed, and have access to openings that enable easy cleaning and inspection.
Storage reservoirs must be large enough to store twice the amount of water needed for everyday flushing needs. The minimum volume is 50 gallons, and the storage unit must be sized to restrict the retention time of greywater to 72 hours or less. This helps prevent the growth of human pathogens and other harmful bacteria.
Disinfection Unit
As per the Florida Building Code 2007, greywater for reuse must be disinfected with one or multiple approved disinfectants like ozone, iodine, or chlorine. Ultraviolet light may also be deemed a correct disinfection method, though it is not explicitly mentioned in the building code.
Dye Injection Unit
According to Florida Building Code 2007, a green or blue food-grade vegetable dye must be added to the greywater before it can be supplied to fixtures.
How Can Aqualoop Help?
Currently, Aqualoop is the only NSF 350 tested and certified greywater recycling solution for Class C applications. It uses a moving bed-membrane bioreactor or MB-MBR technology and equipment to treat water onsite for use in non-potable fixtures. It is very low-maintenance and versatile so that it can be seamlessly installed in various settings depending on the onsite needs with below and above-ground options.
The Bottom Line
AqualoopGreywater recycling is the only system tested and certified by NSF International to the NSF 350C standard for residential and commercial applications. It can process greywater from any source and removes around 99.9999% of bacteria and viruses, leaving with high-grade water quality. This not only helps you save water bills each month but also enables you to become a responsible and environmentally-conscious member of society. If you live in a drought-prone area, this may be your best investment.
For more information, check out our technical library, which will help you understand the system and its installation procedure more effectively.