Department of Energy, Utilites and Sustainability Greywater

Greywater replaces the need to use drinking water for watering gardens or lawns and, if treated appropriately, it can be used in toilets and washing machines.

By using greywater for watering gardens and lawns, a household has the potential to save between 50,000 and 100,000 litres of drinking water a year.

Previously, council approval was required for greywater diversion devices to be installed in homes. The NSW Government has changed the rules, and this is no longer required if certain conditions are met.

What is greywater?

Greywater is the wastewater from your shower, bath, spa, hand basins, laundry tub, washing machine, dishwasher and kitchen sink. It doesn't include water from toilets, urinals or bidets. Used appropriately, you can water your garden with greywater and save up to hundreds of litres of fresh water each day.

Benefits of using greywater

Reusing greywater provides a number of benefits including:
Reducing your potable water consumption.
Reducing the amount of sewage discharged to the ocean or rivers
Reducing your water bills.
Irrigating your garden during drought periods.

Disadvantages of using greywater

The potential for pollution and undesirable health and environmental effects if the greywater is not reused correctly.
Initial cost of a greywater system and plumbing requirements.
Ongoing maintenance.

Health and safety

All forms of household wastewater have the potential to be infectious to human health and pollute the environment. However, when managed properly and carefully using appropriate processes wastewater can be converted into a valuable resource that can be reused. It is very important to following our guidelines when installing greywater devices and systems to ensure the health and safety of your household and community is protected. More information about how to use greywater safely is outlined in Greywater Fact Sheet 1: Diversion Devices - Dos and Don’ts.(pdf)

Ways to reuse greywater

Manual bucketing – small quantities of greywater are captured in a bucket for re-use outside on gardens or lawns. No council approval required.
Diversion – greywater diversion devices redirect greywater for use outside the home on gardens or lawns using sub-surface irrigation. No council approval required under certain conditions. Needs a plumber to install.
Treatment – greywater treatment systems for reuse inside the home (e.g., toilet flushing, washing machine) as well as outside on gardens or lawns. Council approval is required. Needs a plumber to install.

Guidelines for greywater reuse in households

The Department has published guidelines for greywater use in households. The Guidelines relate to single, detached households only and do not include premises comprising of more than one dwelling. The Guidelines and fact sheets can be downloaded here:

Fact sheets

The Department has also published these easy to follow fact sheets on greywater reuse for households:

How to purchase greywater devices and treatment systems

Greywater diversion devices can be purchased from some hardware stores or direct from the manufacturer from as little of $200, and require a plumber to install.

NSW Health keeps a register of Water Mark licensed suppliers of domestic greywater diversion devices and accredited greywater treatment systems, you can download these directly from the following links:

Registered environmentally sensitive areas

Areas registered as environmentally sensitive are not exempt from the prior approval of council to divert greywater. There are currently no registered environmentally sensitive areas for reuse of greywater.

More information

The best source of information about installing, treating and using greywater devices and treatment systems is your local council or water utility. If you live within the Greater Sydney area, contact Sydney Water.