Transcript Water - Residential Conservation and Recycling.pp+

Water …
Residential Conservation and
Recycling
Bill Bardin
Air and Water Pollution
Prevention and Control Engineering
RPI – Fall 2013
Professor Gutierrez-Miravete
Water Facts
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The average American family uses over 300 gallons of water per
day.
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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.
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Toilets – 27%
Washing Clothes – 22%
Showers – 17%
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.
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They estimate they will deplete their water supplies in 100 years.
The other 25% comes from geothermal sources.
Harvesting Rainwater
Old
Becomes
new,
again.
From
Simple
to
complex.
• 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.
Grey Water Recycling
• Types of Residential Waste Water
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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 Systems
• 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.
Questions?
Comments?
Feedback?
http://www.greenbuildingenergysavings.com/greywater-systems.php
http://graywatergardening.com
http://www.solusrenewableenergy.co.uk/rainwater-harvesting.html
http://www.edwardsaquifer.net/rainharvesting.html
http://vwrrc.vt.edu/swc/NonPBMPSpecsMarch11/VASWMBMPSpec6RAINWATERHARVESTING.html
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/outdoor/rainwater_reuse.html