Why use Greywater?

Water is a limited resource, especially in many parts of South Africa. Using clean drinking water for everything — including watering gardens — puts pressure on household water supplies and increases costs.
Greywater harvesting offers a way to use water more efficiently by reusing water that has already served a household purpose.

Greywater harvesting can help to:

  • Reduce the use of clean drinking water.
  • Lower household water bills.
  • Keep food gardens alive during dry periods.
  • Support household and community food security.
  • Build resilience during droughts and water restrictions

Greywater and everyday life.

Most households produce greywater every day through:

  • Bathing and showering.
  • Washing hands.
  • Doing laundry

When this water is safely reused, it becomes part of a cycle of use, rather than waste.

By reusing greywater, households and food producers can make better use of the water they already have, rather than relying only on additional water sources.

📝Your water use

Your Water Use- Greywater Harvesting

This short activity helps you reflect on your household water use. There are no right or wrong answers. Select all the answers that apply to you.

When is most water used in your household?(Required)
Where does most of this water go after it is used?(Required)
Do you experience times when water is scarce or restricted?(Required)
How could reusing some of this water help you?(Required)

Thank you for reflecting on your own water-use practices. In the next session, you will learn how greywater can be reused safely at household level.

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