Water Recycling FAQ's

Greywater makes up around 30 - 50% of wastewater discharged into our sewers. Therefore, greywater recycling offers facilities the chance to cut their water use by up to half.

Generally defined as wastewater from bathrooms and laundries, greywater can come from showers, baths, basins and washing machines. It may be contaminated with a range of soluble and insoluble (particulate) substances such as soaps, detergents, skin, saliva, dirt and lint. Each type of contaminant, whether it is detergent / surfactant, organic, microbial or particulate, must be treated appropriately. That is why we have developed the Aquacell G Series. Designed with a multi-barrier approach, it combines a range of purifying processes to remove the various contaminants.

Blackwater is any wastewater that is contaminated with water discharged from a toilet. Compared to greywater recycling, it is often more practical to recycle blackwater as most plumbing systems don’t separate greywater streams (showers, basins). Aquacell S systems can often be retro-fitted to existing buildings or be installed in new developments without dealing with dual plumbing complexities. Despite many commercial facilities and multi-dwelling apartments having the option to discharge wastewater directly into a local municipal sewer network, onsite blackwater recycling is attractive to many sites for a number of reasons including:

• Reducing onsite water use by up to 90%
• Contributing points to a LEED development or proactively demonstrating good environmental management
• Providing an additional source of water to keep gardens and sports fields green; many parts of the U.S. have limited water resources available for aesthetic uses
• Reducing the hydraulic impact of a development on a local municipal sewer. This overcomes development restrictions caused when the existing sewer is at its hydraulic capacity

Rainwater & Stormwater Systems collect and reuse water from rain and storms. Rainwater can be collected from roof surfaces above ground and Stormwater can be collected from above or below grade surfaces. Aquacell by PHOENIX supplies everything for a successful rainwater or stormwater recycling scheme.

Aquacell by PHOENIX systems treat alternate water sources to a high standard, making the water safe for:

• Landscape irrigation (spray or subsurface)
• Toilet and urinal flushing
• Cooling tower make-up
• Washing machines (if permitted)
• Car washing, water features & more

We take a “fit for purpose” approach, where different treatment technologies are applied depending on the source water and the end use application. Here are a number of different technology components our experts may put to use when designing your project-specific solution:

• Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
• Oxidation
• Microfiltration
• Ultrafiltration
• Ultraviolet Disinfection

• Chlorine Disinfection
• Granular Activated Carbon
• Ozone
• Reverse Osmosis

Depending upon the treatment plan and the application, Aquacell by PHOENIX systems yield 80 - 99%.

The smallest Aquacell by PHOENIX systems treat approximately 1,000 gallons per day. The largest systems can treat up to 250,000 gallons per day.