Reusing Rainwater and Greywater
There are high-tech ways of capturing and reusing rainwater and greywater (the wastewater from showers & sinks) in place of mains water. However, the best options are simple and low…
Water and Sanitation
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CAT is a great place to learn about water and sanitation. Our unique site has its own water and sewage systems, and our experience makes us well placed to offer a wide range of free advice, whether it's looking at changes you can make at home or setting up your own off-grid systems.
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Water and sewage treatment play an important role in our efforts to live more sustainably. We may not think of the UK as a particularly dry country, but due to a densely-settled population, there is less water for each person than in Spain and Portugal, and it is not uncommon to have shortages in the south-east of the country.
A lot of water is used for baths, showers and toilets in the home and for watering plants in the garden. There are many simple ways to reduce water consumption and to use rain and grey water in the garden.
In homes away from the mains, sustainable sewage treatment solutions such as reed beds and compost toilets can ensure sewage doesn’t pollute the environment. They also help us to make use of sewage as a source of nutrients to restore and improve soil fertility.
Reducing water use
The average domestic use of water in the UK is 150 litres per person per day, but it is easy to reduce this to 70-80 litres per day. Behaviour changes,…
Sewage Treatment
If you don’t have mains sewerage, there are many treatment options you could consider. Ecological sewage treatment usually involves a combination of different methods to separate out solids, deal with…
Composting Toilets
A composting toilet treats sewage onsite, recycling nutrients into fertiliser that you can use it on the garden. There are many types of composting toilet, from expensive proprietary systems to…
Free Information Service
Free, independent and impartial advice on a wide array of topics relating to sustainability and sustainable living, from renewable energy, green building and renovations to woodland management and gardening.
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