Greywater
Greywater is the water collected from showers, baths, basins and washing machines.
It is safe to reuse around the home and garden when done properly and can be as simple as collecting water in a bucket from your shower.
Greywater doesn’t include water from the kitchen sink or from toilets, which is known as black water.
Collecting greywater
Buckets or bowls
Collecting greywater from your shower, basin or washing machine is easy and accessible. This can be used for watering plants.
You can leave a bucket in your shower or bowl under the bathroom and kitchen tap to collect water while it’s warming up.
Greywater diversion systems
A greywater diversion system can divert greywater to an irrigation system. This is good for low-risk sources of greywater, such as the bath, shower or washing machine.
If you are diverting your greywater to your garden, be mindful to use greywater-safe cleaning products or laundry detergent as they can affect your soil.
Greywater treatment systems
A greywater treatment system collects and treats greywater created in your house. Treated greywater is more clear and odourless than untreated greywater, and can be used to:
- flush toilets
- fill the washing machine
- wash vehicles
- water lawns and gardens.
Using greywater safely
- Don’t keep stored greywater for more than a day, as bacteria can grow.
- Greywater can contain disease-causing microorganisms, oils, detergents, salts and more from cleaning products.
- Switch to greywater-safe cleaning products to minimise the impact on the environment, especially if you are using it to water the garden.