Water Recycling

"Because freshwater is only a minimal percentage of the total global water supply and water treatment and distribution are costly, water should be considered a scarce and valuable resource. Many groups are advocating new approaches to water use and distribution. For example, the U.S. Green Building Council has proposed that traditional water distribution systems could be modified to limit the distribution of potable water and that parallel systems be developed to enable the collection and redistribution of gray water. Some municipalities have installed distribution systems that encourage households and commercial operations to use recycled water in lieu of treated freshwater for specific applications, such as irrigation, thus conserving the freshwater that is available within their watersheds. However, this is an expensive option because it requires the establishment of separate piping systems for the recycled water. Alternative methods for using rainwater also are being developed. For example, buildings are increasingly being engineered with the capability to collect and use rainwater for non-potable applications, such as flushing toilets and landscape irrigation."