Greywater Filtration

The overall goal of the integrated water systems team is to enable the use of water related services like showering, laundry, and irrigation whilst minimizing the volume of city treated water used for non-potable residential applications. Through methods of consumption reduction and various processes of on-site water capture, treatment and reuse, the integrated water system team endeavours to drastically reduce the home’s treated water needs.
Projects currently underway include on-site storm water and impermeable surface water capture systems which will be used for flowerbed and yard irrigation during periods of summer drought. As well, the team is engaged in designing a comprehensive greywater recycling system for the entire house to further reduce the home’s treated water footprint. “Grey” water, which comprises more than half of a home’s waste water, is household waste water collected from sources like showers, washers and bathroom sinks and which has an insignificant organic content allowing its treatment and re-use on site. Finally, the project also attempts to bring together landscape architecture with on-site water remediation techniques such as bio-swales and lagoons.