Recycled shower water

[Monsterlover]

Interesting idea

$1300 a year in energy savings got my attention.

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/innovative-shower-reduces-water-usage-90-electricity-80

[Popeye the Sailor]

Would I have to stop peeing in the shower?

[Triple J]

Interesting. Could be a great system for parts of the country where water is scarce.  Of course, getting people to stop planting grass in those regions would be a massive help as well. 

[cokey]

using grey water has always been a plus.. especially if your out in the sticks..    best used for crops..

[spolic]

On a trip to Belize we showered with stored rain water. Of course in the jungle it rained every day....then the sun would come out and it would be HOT and heat the water up to a comfy temp.

If the ROI on that 'up to' $1,300 was 2-3 years I'd say giddy up. 

[duc_fan]

Interesting. Could be a great system for parts of the country where water is scarce.  Of course, getting people to stop planting grass in those regions would be a massive help as well. 

The masses really need to start with landscaping using native plants & materials, so that artificial irrigation needs are minimized or eliminated.  This is what my wife and I are doing at our new house.  19-20" of rain a year in these parts, so we're planning the yard and selecting trees based on what grows naturally in this climate with little or no extra irrigation required.

[ungeheuer]

On a trip to Belize we showered with stored rain water......

We shower with stored rain water too.

All of our water (drinking water included) is stored rain water.

I ran a grey water system using recycled shower and washing machine water - not to save $$, but to save water (so far "they" still allow us to collect what falls from the sky for free).  I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the effort and dismantled the system.

From the linked report >>   "As the water falls down, it goes down into the drain, through the filtration system, and then is pumped back up to be used again. Because only a little heat is lost during this process, it only needs to be slightly reheated, which can significantly reduce energy costs"   <<  I question this.  In a commercial environment - where the shower is in constant use, the small heat loss may indeed be the case.  But in a domestic environment where you're not gonna be reusing that water until the next day.... the heat is lost (unless you're storing it in a vacuum flask).

[NAKID]

I think he's talking about while showering. You'd need to heat the ~5 liters of water, but after it's filtered it only needs to be slightly reheated before coming back out the showerhead.

[DanTheMan]

Would I have to stop peeing in the shower?

Nope your good.

[Speeddog]

We shower with stored rain water too.

All of our water (drinking water included) is stored rain water.

How much rain do you get?

[Popeye the Sailor]

We shower with stored rain water too.

All of our water (drinking water included) is stored rain water.

I ran a grey water system using recycled shower and washing machine water - not to save $$, but to save water (so far "they" still allow us to collect what falls from the sky for free).  I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the effort and dismantled the system.

From the linked report >>   "As the water falls down, it goes down into the drain, through the filtration system, and then is pumped back up to be used again. Because only a little heat is lost during this process, it only needs to be slightly reheated, which can significantly reduce energy costs"   <<  I question this.  In a commercial environment - where the shower is in constant use, the small heat loss may indeed be the case.  But in a domestic environment where you're not gonna be reusing that water until the next day.... the heat is lost (unless you're storing it in a vacuum flask).

Science has shown 98% of all water is actually fish pee.

The other 2% from my understanding, is carob.

[suzyj]

We shower with stored rain water too.

You waste perfectly good rain water in the shower? Strewth!

Out here (middle of western Australia) we have to use bore water for showers, and for flushing the dunny. No need to heat it much, it comes out of the ground already hot.

It only rains like twice a year, so our rainwater is much too precious for showering in.

[ungeheuer]

How much rain do you get?

About this much..


But its not just how much rainfall, the catchment area is important too.  All of the rainwater which falls on the house roof feeds into a 55,000 litre storage tank.  Plus another 22,000 litre tank fed from a large shed roof.  We always have enough water (except when I once make the beast with two backsed up and allowed all 55,000 litres to run to waste  ).

[ungeheuer]

I think he's talking about while showering. You'd need to heat the ~5 liters of water, but after it's filtered it only needs to be slightly reheated before coming back out the showerhead.

I do believe you're right 

[Speeddog]

About this much..
~~~SNIP~~~

But its not just how much rainfall, the catchment area is important too.  All of the rainwater which falls on the house roof feeds into a 55,000 litre storage tank.  Plus another 22,000 litre tank fed from a large shed roof.  We always have enough water (except when I once make the beast with two backsed up and allowed all 55,000 litres to run to waste  ).

That's a pretty decent supply of steady rainfall, that helps.

We get about half that much per year, and nearly all of it in a 4-month span in winter.
For me, my girlfriend, one cat and a few houseplants, we'd need ~120,000 litres per year.
That would require converting the bottom floor of this 3-level into a water tank.
And a roof (water-funnel) 50% larger than the lot the house is on.
Even with recycling shower water, reducing use, etc, it would be difficult.