Two milestones in the development of sustainable greywater reuse technology will be showcased at Ecobuild 2014 by leading specialists, Reaqua Systems.
The company will become the first, in the history of the Excel show (4-6 March), to feature a fully working model of a greywater reuse system, and the only one in the UK to have been awarded water efficiency accreditation and approval for connection to the water mains by the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS)1.
Designed for use in residential, commercial and municipal properties, Reaqua's water saving solution enables the collection of waste-water (so called ‘greywater') from baths and showers and recycles it for use in flushing toilets2. Suitable for retrofit as well as newbuild and easy to install and use, the reAqua unit dramatically reduces the mains water needs of a house or building by up to 30 per cent, without any form of rationing or disruption to the occupants existing lifestyle.
Based on daily usage figures of 150 litres of water per person (figures from the UK organisation, Waterwise), a family of five will typically save around 80,000 litres of water each year, the equivalent of over 1,000 baths or over 1,600 loads of washing as well as making significant annual savings on metered water bills.
The company also provides a similar system - the reAqua+ unit - which incorporates a heat exchanger to recoup energy from waste bath and shower water, saving up to 50% in energy consumption for water heating3.
CEO of Reaqua Systems, Stephen Bates, said: "As most buildings in the UK have only one water supply, we have, until now, had little option but to put up with the confused logic of using drinking quality water to flush our toilets. Our simple greywater reuse solution turns this conundrum on its head and, without any complex alteration to the plumbing setup, allows for a sizeable and instant reduction in a building's water consumption. Our recent WRAS approval is testament to the industry's growing confidence in greywater reuse technology and its ability to make a sizeable contribution to reducing water demand across the UK, as well as internationally."
Besides making properties more attractive to customers by reducing running costs4, a reAqua unit provides an obvious solution for improving a development's rating under the Code for Sustainable Homes. The link between greywater technology and achieving a higher rating under the CSH has already been made by industry leaders, Ideal Standard. It has teamed up with Reaqua, and code assessors, Stroma, to offer a specific package of greywater and sanitary ware options for the specifier or end user which, if fitted in combination, are guaranteed to elevate any build project to a code 5/6 for water efficiency.
Stroma Certification, responsible for delivering Government-approved certification schemes, has assessed and approved these combinations in advance, allowing customers to acquire certification off the shelf. Stroma's sales manager, Stuart Oakes, commented: "This new arrangement will make it a lot simpler for anyone - whether a specifier, developer or self-builder - to install this greywater system with approved sanitary ware and meet the requirements for water efficiency under a code 5/6 rating."
Stephen Bates added: "Aside from reducing water consumption, we also want to be in tune with the way people choose to live. Unlike flow restriction technology, which is often criticised for producing an increased risk of blocked sewage pipes and disappointingly low flow rates from showers, greywater reuse offers the industry the chance to reach ambitious and valuable water efficiency targets, without relying on the end user to make unpopular adjustments to their lifestyle. Bathing luxury with a conscience has arrived."
