Subject: [permaculture] Healthy House Harvests Water
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 18:28:05 -0500
CMHC's Healthy House in Toronto provides clean water for all household
and landscaping needs - without using municipal services.
Rain and snow collected from the roof provides all of the water supply.
Water is stored in an underground cistern and purified without the use
of chemicals.
All waste water, which would ordinarily drain into the municipal sewage
system, is treated in the home in a system that duplicates the soil's
natural filtration process. It is then recycled for use in toilets,
showers, and the washing machine. Water is typically recycled up to
five times, with a small amount being safely released into the soil
each day. Microorganisms, oxygen, ultraviolet light and charcoal are
used to treat waste water flowing into the soil so that it is not
harmful to the environment.