The national average indoor residential water use per day per person is between 60 – 70 gallons, of which over 50% is used in the bathroom primarily for waste disposal. In 2009, the average for New York City was over 125 gallons per day. The Department of Environmental Protection treats over 1.4 billion gallons of water each day. With figures like these, it is safe to say that New Yorkers use a tremendous amount of water for waste disposal.
So, how can the flush of a toilet save NYC millions of dollars? The answer is simple: implement greywater recycling systems in NYC residences.
Greywater is water that has been discharged from sinks, showers, dishwashers and laundry. It is not water that has been previously used for waste disposal in toilets (this is termed Blackwater). The greywater is treated in an internal system that is not connected to the freshwater supply of your plumbing. The water is then sent to your toilets, washing machines, heating/cooling systems and outdoor irrigation.
The implementation of greywater recycling systems across NYC would decrease the amount of water sent to treatment plants tremendously, reducing the cost of operation and decreasing emissions associated with treatment. Systems which have already been implemented in Battery Park City have resulted a reduction of nearly 50% in water consumption and 56% in wastewater discharge.
It is easy to forget the potential power that something as fundamental as using the restroom has to change paradigms and spark innovation.
This post was written by a student enrolled in the Capstone Seminar course in the undergraduate program in public policy at Hunter College. Any opinions expressed here are solely those of the student.
