Principles of Sustainable Water
1. Minimise water consumption
The high level of demand and relatively low annual rainfall make water a precious resource in Hertfordshire. In addition, treating water to drinking water standards
and transporting it to consumers is an expensive process that uses significant amounts of energy and chemicals.
Reducing the water used for day-to-day activities such as toilet flushing, running a tap or using household appliances can make a big difference to the total demand.
2. Collect and reuse rainwater
Most of the water we use is for nonpotable purposes. Rainwater can be clean enough to be used for washing clothes and vehicles, flushing toilets and watering plants. Hertfordshire does not receive high levels of rainfall. However, the collection and reuse of rainwater would present environmental and financial benefits, including:
- reduced pressures on the water supply infrastructure
- reduced water flowing to surface water drainage systems
- lower water bills
3. Manage wastewater
Wastewater is also a potential resource. Wastewater is usually referred to as 'grey' water or 'black' water. Greywater is water that is still relatively clean after use, for example, water that has drained from the shower. Blackwater is water that is more heavily polluted such as water that has drained from the foul sewer/toilets.
The reuse of waste water is increasingly feasible at both a household and commercial level. Over time, the reuse of waste water delivers both financial and environmental savings.
4. Drainage
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) consists a sequence of management practices and control structures and strategies, designed to drain surface water in a sustainable way to reduce pollution and impact on water quality of local water bodies. SUDS are increasingly being used to mitigate the excessive flows from stormwater and surface pollution from runoffs in urban areas. SUDS are designed to eplicate the natural drainage as closely as possible before it enters the water courses, it may include infiltration devices to reduce pollution containing in the runoffs. The system removes water quickly and efficiently in a sustainable manner and should be included in the masterplanning of housing development wherever possible.
Surface run-off can be actively managed at both a single building and site-wide scale.