Background
The City of Guelph strives to use less water per person than any other Canadian city. Given that demands on Ontario’s freshwater resources are numerous and increasing, the City of Guelph has been exploring innovative water conservation options.
Reusing water used in showers or baths, also called greywater, can provide significant annual water and wastewater savings. In 2009, the City of Guelph partnered with the University of Guelph and three local home builders, Fusion Homes, Reid’s Heritage Homes and Evolve Builders Group, to deliver a pilot program for the installation of greywater reuse systems.
Taking action
The pilot, called the Residential Greywater Reuse Program, has several unique components:
- Provides $1,500 rebate to home owners who install an approved greywater reuse system in their homes. These systems take used water from showers and baths, purify it, and use it for other non-consumptive functions like flushing toilets
- Comprehensive guidance offered to program participants on installing and maintaining greywater systems
- Evaluation of the social acceptance of home greywater reuse through forums involving community participants
- Multi-stakeholder involvement including local home builders, academic researchers, professional consultants and City staff
Achieving results
- 28 of 30 planned systems installed
- Savings of almost 2 million litres of water and 1,160kWh of electricity per year
- New homes with the greywater reuse system use 11.9 per cent less water on average
- Old homes retrofitted with the greywater reuse system use 26 per cent less water on average
Guelph’s greywater reuse program is innovative and aims to educate municipalities across Canada on approaches and considerations in implementing greywater reuse systems.
