Management of greywater: environmental impact, treatment, resource recovery, water recycling, and decentralization

Abstract

Wastewater generated from households can be classified into greywater and blackwater. Greywater makes up a substantial portion of household wastewater. Such water consists of wastewater released from kitchen sinks, showers, laundries, and hand basins. Since the greywater is not mixed with human excreta and due to the low levels of pathogenic contamination and nitrogen, it has received more attention for recycling and reusing in recent decades. Implementing decentralized greywater treatment systems can be an effective solution to overcome water scarcity by supplying a part of water requirement, at least non-potable demand, and decreasing pollutant emissions by eliminating long-distance water transportation in remote regions, like rural and isolated areas. This review focuses on greywater management in terms of reducing environmental risks as well as the possibility of treatment. Effective management of water reclamation systems is essential for a decentralized approach and to ensure the protection of public health. In this regard, the environmental impacts of disposal or reusing the untreated greywater are discussed. Furthermore, the most appropriate technologies that can be employed for the decentralized treatment of greywaters like constructed wetlands, waste stabilization ponds, membrane systems, and electrochemical technologies are described. Finally, this review summarizes resource recovery and sustainable resource reuse.

Developing a Comprehensive Framework for Assessing Airport Sustainability

“…It is also important that airports can predict natural phenomena such as floods, erosion, and drainage problems and design contingency plans as well as implement systems that allow the drainage and use of water before it transports contaminants present in the airport soil to other beds of water near the airport. The water used is normally classified as wastewater, which can be divided into greywater or blackwater [20]. The treatment and reuse of used water before it leaves airports is very important because it has the potential to contaminate the entire region in which it is located.…”

Assessment of Greywater Reuse in a University Building in a Hyper-Arid Region: Quantity, Quality, and Social Acceptance

“…Much research has been conducted on greywater generation, quality, and reuse [2,14,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]; however, few studies have focused on educational buildings, such as schools or universities [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44]. In many low-income countries, the majority of these buildings do not have or have limited access to potable water [5].…”

A review of hybrid solar desalination systems: structure and performance

“…Water, a resource that is challenging to purify, costly to transport, and irreplaceable, is the sole ingredient essential for the creation of food, economic progress, and the survival of life (Kong et al 2023). The new United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development, in mid-1993, highlighted the significance of water in human health and well-being by prioritizing the improvement of water quality as a key aspect of technology transfer from developed to developing countries (Khajvand et al 2022). Currently, the global average indicates that over one in six individuals lack sufficient access to potable water, while over two in six individuals lack adequate sewage disposal facilities (Kheskwani & Ahammed 2023).…”