Easy ways to explain how greywater reuse works?

[dario.fernandez.valiente]

Hi everyone!
I’m working on my final thesis about the reuse of greywater in residential buildings, focusing on both sustainability and financial aspects.
What are the most effective and clear ways to present the economic viability of such systems (like payback period, NPV, IRR, etc.) in a way that’s easy for non-experts to understand? Any examples or tools you’d recommend?

What’s a simple way to explain how these systems work to someone with no technical background? Any tips, analogies, or simple examples?
Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[LittleInch]

Pay back is simply reduction of cost due to lower waste consumption and lower associated sewage costs.

Grey water is simply extending the use of what started as clean potable water for other use such flushing toikets or watering the garden. Pretty simple concept really. Instead of water going straight into the sewer it gets diverted to other use before then going into the sewer or the ground.

But very few will make commercial sense unless water is very expensive and its more about conserving waste in places where there is a shortage.

 

[Cooltron Group]

Hi everyone!
I’m working on my final thesis about the reuse of greywater in residential buildings, focusing on both sustainability and financial aspects.
What are the most effective and clear ways to present the economic viability of such systems (like payback period, NPV, IRR, etc.) in a way that’s easy for non-experts to understand? Any examples or tools you’d recommend?

What’s a simple way to explain how these systems work to someone with no technical background? Any tips, analogies, or simple examples?
Thanks in advance for your help!

GOOD

 

[pierreick]

Hi,
Probably good to read: HTTPs://greywateraction.org/greywater-reuse/
Pierre

 

[Gr8blu]

Since your post hinted that you're basing comparison or viability on financial criteria (payback period, Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return) instead of environment (once-through system, for example) then you need to also define a specific duration BEFORE making the comparison.

For example - if the upfront cost of a greywater system is $100 M, then it's going to take a long time (at the present and probably future cost of H2O) to see any profitability. If the upfront cost is $100 k, the period becomes much shorter - although it is likely to still be significant.

Chances are good that if profitability doesn't come in the first three years, the project goes nowhere UNLESS there are other driving factors (like environmental or regulatory).