Feasibility and impact of greywater recycling in four types of buildings in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Greywater (GW) recycling and reuse is an important approach for conserving water and meeting the demand of the growing population. However, the success of greywater reuse (GWR) depends on process feasibility and impacts. In this study, the feasibility and impact of GWR installations in four types of buildings (high rise residential building, school, hotel and house of worship) in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, were assessed. The study included economic assessment as well as assessment of impacts in terms of CO2 emissions and energy consumption over time. The GWR options included use of GW, as applicable, for toilet flushing or as make-up water in open air conditioning cooling towers. The results from the study indicate that GWR is feasible for the various types of buildings and applications assessed and that it can lead to significant reductions in water consumption, CO2 emissions and energy consumption. However, buildings owner’s share of financial savings is a key factor in deciding interest in installing and operating GWR systems.