Greywater is household wastewater that comes from:
- baths
- showers
- bathroom sinks
- laundries
- kitchens.
It does not include sewage, such as water from toilets.
You can use untreated and treated greywater as an alternative water source. Using and managing greywater needs to:
- be safe
- meet regulatory and environmental standards
- reflect community expectations.
How you reuse and treat greywater depends on where you live and what you intend to use it for.
The general environmental duty applies to activities that involve reusing and treating greywater. You must eliminate or reduce the risk of harm to human health or the environment so far as reasonably practicable.
Check with your local council, water authority or the Department of Health for advice on the regulations in your area.
Untreated greywater
If you use it straight away, you can reuse untreated greywater (except kitchen wastewater) for:
- watering your garden
- use in washing machines.
Otherwise, you need to treat it before storing or reusing it. Treat and disinfect greywater before storage and reuse because:
- it can contain microorganisms that can cause disease (pathogens)
- it begins to turn septic and smell if it's stored for longer than 24 hours untreated.
Do not use greywater as drinking water, even when it's treated.
To reuse untreated greywater safely, consider what household products you use. For example:
- use low-salt shampoo, laundry detergent and soap so they do not kill plants
- do not dispose of household chemicals down the sink.
The Australian Government YourHome website has advice for reusing greywater(opens in a new window).
Treated greywater
Greywater can be treated by:
- a wastewater treatment facility
- an onsite wastewater management system (OWMS).
You need a permit to construct, install or alter an OWMS. Learn more about managing an onsite wastewater management system.
How greywater is treated depends on:
- the quality and quantity of the greywater
- site conditions
- what the treated greywater will be used for.
For information on domestic water recycling from individual household systems – for example, sullage, greywater or effluent from residential septic tanks – refer to:
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