Towards water self-sufficiency : pilot operation of an off-grid water cycle based on rainwater harvesting and low-tech, biological greywater treatment in an inhabited demonstration house in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus)

Bühler, Devi; Junge, Ranka; Rousseau, Diederik

doi:10.21256/zhaw-28826

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28826

Publication type:	Conference paper
Type of review:	Peer review (abstract)
Title:	Towards water self-sufficiency : pilot operation of an off-grid water cycle based on rainwater harvesting and low-tech, biological greywater treatment in an inhabited demonstration house in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus)
Authors:	Bühler, Devi Junge, Ranka Rousseau, Diederik
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.21256/zhaw-28826
Conference details:	6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023
Issue Date:	2023
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	International Water Association
Language:	English
Subjects:	Biological wastewater treatment; Greywater treatment; Rainwater harvesting; Self-sufficiency; Wastewater reuse
Subject (DDC):	333: Economics of land and resources 620: Engineering
Abstract:	With the aim to address water scarcity and support the sustainable use and treatment of (waste-) water, this study examines a self-sufficient, off-grid water system in the inhabited demonstration house “KREIS-Haus”. The water system is based on rainwater harvesting and greywater treatment with a low-tech treatment implementing submerged, attached biofilm growth. Treated rainwater is used as drinking water and treated greywater is used for the washing machine and irrigation of the rooftop garden. In an experimental period of 17 weeks, several water quality parameters were analyzed once per week before and after the rainwater and greywater treatment. Comparing the results to Swiss/EU regulation and literature, the treated greywater is suitable for irrigation and laundry. However, the treated rainwater did not always meet the required limit values for turbidity and TOC. The greywater treatment unit achieved removal rates of 92% for COD and 98% for turbidity, and no accumulation of substances was observed in the treated greywater. Water self- sufficiency was at 100% over the whole experimental period, and excess water pumped out of the system met the standard for discharge into a water body. While these first results indicate a promising approach to the water concept, more long-term monitoring and testing with higher occupancy is needed.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/28826
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	Life Sciences and Facility Management
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)
Published as part of the ZHAW project:	Casa Circolo - Direktrecycling von Grauwasser am Beispiel KREIS-Haus
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Life Sciences und Facility Management

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Bühler, D., Junge, R., & Rousseau, D. (2023). Towards water self-sufficiency : pilot operation of an off-grid water cycle based on rainwater harvesting and low-tech, biological greywater treatment in an inhabited demonstration house in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus). 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28826

Bühler, D., Junge, R. and Rousseau, D. (2023) ‘Towards water self-sufficiency : pilot operation of an off-grid water cycle based on rainwater harvesting and low-tech, biological greywater treatment in an inhabited demonstration house in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus)’, in 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023. International Water Association. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28826.

D. Bühler, R. Junge, and D. Rousseau, “Towards water self-sufficiency : pilot operation of an off-grid water cycle based on rainwater harvesting and low-tech, biological greywater treatment in an inhabited demonstration house in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus),” in 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023, 2023. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-28826.

BÜHLER, Devi, Ranka JUNGE und Diederik ROUSSEAU, 2023. Towards water self-sufficiency : pilot operation of an off-grid water cycle based on rainwater harvesting and low-tech, biological greywater treatment in an inhabited demonstration house in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus). In: 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023. Conference paper. International Water Association. 2023

Bühler, Devi, Ranka Junge, and Diederik Rousseau. 2023. “Towards Water Self-Sufficiency : Pilot Operation of an Off-Grid Water Cycle Based on Rainwater Harvesting and Low-Tech, Biological Greywater Treatment in an Inhabited Demonstration House in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus).” Conference paper. In 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023. International Water Association. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28826.

Bühler, Devi, et al. “Towards Water Self-Sufficiency : Pilot Operation of an Off-Grid Water Cycle Based on Rainwater Harvesting and Low-Tech, Biological Greywater Treatment in an Inhabited Demonstration House in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus).” 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023, International Water Association, 2023, https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28826.