The SENS House at the Berea College Ecovillage is a research and demonstration facility for methods of increasing resilience–the ability of a household to maintain essential functions in the face of reductions in the availability of energy, water, food, or basic goods and services. Continue reading →
Archive for February, 2011
SENS Note: Biological Treatment and Reuse of Greywater at the SENS House
The typical Kentucky household uses 69 gallons of water per person per day for indoor use.
The SENS House uses 10 gallons per person per day, of which 75% becomes greywater (from sinks, showers, and washing), as opposed to blackwater (from toilets). While obviously cleaner than blackwater, greywater contains appreciable amounts of:
- Food particles
- Soaps, shampoos, and detergents
- Bacteria from body washing
- Dirt
SENS students designed and built an ecological machine to purify the greywater for safe and odor-free reuse in irrigating crops in the SENS House greenhouse.
