GB2267114A

GB2267114A - Waste water conservation system

Info

Publication number: GB2267114A
Application number: GB9309947A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Henry Thomas How
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-05-19
Filing date: 1993-05-14
Publication date: 1993-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-14
Also published as: GB9309947D0; GB9210618D0; GB2267114B

Abstract

A waste water conservation system comprises a storage tank (16) and means for delivering waste water from non- sewerage appliances to said tank e.g. by tapping (22, 14, 18) into the waste water down-pipe. The collected waste water may be used for toilet flushing or in the garden. <IMAGE>

Description

Waste Water Conservation System This invention relates to a waste water conservation system.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a waste water conservation system which comprises a water collection tank and means for delivering to said tank waste water from non-sewerage appliances in a bathroom, in particular bath and/or shower and/or wash basin.

The aim of the system is to collect waste water which can, in general, be safely re-used in a garden. Water from sewerage appliances is not suitable for this purpose, nor commonly is waste water from a kitchen appliance, which is likely to carry, in solution or otherwise, chemicals which may be harmful to garden life. The soap, foam and cleansing product residues in waste water from bathroom appliances, other than a lavatory, are generally not harmful to garden life or at least present only in such minute quantities as not to be harmful, and can sometimes be beneficial.

Preferably, the collection tank is fed from a tapping into the waste water down-pipe from a bathroom. The bathroom does not require to be in a first floor situation to enable this procedure. If the bathroom is on the ground floor, the water collection tank can be sunk at least partially below ground level.

Preferably, there is also provided an overflow back from the tank into the waste water down-pipe.

A two-way valve is preferably incorporated into the waste water down-pipe, so that water is only collected during the summer months, if this is preferred, and also so that water can be passed to waste if it does contain any harmful chemical such as bleach.

The water inlet tapping, tank overflow and valve may conveniently be incorporated into a single unit which can be fitted, without skilled plumbing abilities, in place of a short length which is cut out from the waste water downpipe.

Thus, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts for use in producing a waste water conservation system, which kit comprises a branched length of pipe having a main portion and two branch portions, two annular fittings such as sleeves for connection of the main portion top and bottom in place of a section cut from a downpipe which carries waste water from a bath and/or bathroom basin, and a two-way valve whereby in use waste water may be diverted into the upper branch portion or may be passed straight through the main portion to waste.

The branched pipe, annular fittings and two way-valve are preferably pre-assembled.

The kit may also include a water storage tank having an inlet for the upper branched portion of the pipe, an outlet for connection of the lower branched portion of the pipe, this branch constituting an overflow, and an outlet tap.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the collected waste water is used to flush a toilet appliance.

For this purpose, the toilet cistern preferably houses a valve means such as a float valve which controls a submersible pump which in use pumps water from the storage tank to the cistern on demand.

The above-mentioned kit of parts may include a pump, a filter unit and a switch means for operation by the usual float valve in the toilet cistern, although clearly the extension of the invention to toilet flushing requires greater expertise to install than the basic water collection system.

The collection tank may be provided at the bottom with a tap from which water can be drawn off. A pump, submersible in the collection tank or otherwise, may be incorporated into the system, for example to enable water to be drawn off under pressure, for example to drive a garden spray appliance or, as above mentioned, to flush a toilet appliance.

A filter unit, possibly utilising replaceable filter cartridges may also be incorporated, preferably at the tank outlet from which water can be drawn off, as also previously mentioned.

It is possible to feed a single collection tank with waste water from two or more bathrooms, if this is appropriate.

A waste water collection system in accordance with the invention is exemplified in the following description, making reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the basic system in diagrammatic manner; and Figure 2 shows extension of the basic system to toilet flushing.

Referring to Figure 1, a waste water down-pipe 10 receiving waste water from the basin, bath and/or shower in a bathroom has a short section, say 35 to 40 cm, cut out and replaced by a pipework unit 12 which comprises an in feed 14 to a waste water collection tank 16, an overflow 18 from the tank back to the down-pipe, and a summer/winter two-way valve 20 located in the vertical replacement pipe section 22 between the infeed and the overflow.

The collection tank 16, for example of plastics material and possibly supported on the ground by a plinth 24, has at the bottom a tap 26 from which water can be drawn off for use in the garden. Optionally, a submersible pump 28 may be incorporated to provide water under pressure from the tap, and a filter (not shown) possibly of the replacement cartridge type may also be incorporated.

The branched pipe unit 23, 14, 18, together with upper and lower connection sleeves 30, 32 and valve 20, may be produced as a pre-assembled kit of parts for do-it-yourself use. A suitable storage tank 16 may also be supplied.

In the case of a single family domestic building, a collection tank of about 50 gallons is envisaged. If the bathroom is on the ground floor, the collection tank may be at least partly sunk into the ground, so that for ease of use a pump is incorporated into the system, as aforesaid.

Figure 2 shows extension of the basic system to toilet flushing. A toilet cistern 34 containing a float valve 36 also has a switch means 38 which controls operation of the submersible pump 28. The pump 28, via a filter unit 38 and a feed pipe 40, supplies waste water to refill the cistern after flushing. Pump 28 may be independently operable for garden use. The switch 38 may control the pump 28 in any of a variety of ways. Elementary radio control may be safe and convenient.

Various modifications of the above-described and illustrated arrangement are possible within the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A waste water conservation system which comprises a water collection tank and means for delivering to said tank waste water from non-sewerage appliances in a bathroom, in particular bath and/or shower and/or wash basin.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which the collection tank is fed from a tapping into the waste water down-pipe from a bathroom.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, having an overflow back from the tank into the waste down-pipe.

4. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, in which a two-way valve is incorporated into the waste water down-pipe.

5. A system according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inlet tapping, tank overflow and valve may conveniently be incorporated into a single unit which can be fitted, without skilled pumbing abilities, in place of a short length which is cut out from the waste water down-pipe.

6. A system according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the collection tank has at the bottom a tap from which water can be drawn off.

7. A system according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein a submersible pump is incorporated in the tank to enable water to be drawn off under pressure.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the water drawn off is fed to a toilet cistern to replenish water therein.

9. A kit of parts for use in producing the waste water collection system of any of claims 1 to 7, which kit comprises a branched length of pipe having a main portion and two branch portions, two annular fittings such as sleeves for connection of the main portion top and bottom in place of a section cut from a down-pipe which carries waste water from a bath and/or bathroom basin, and a twoway valve whereby in use waste water may be diverted into the upper branch portion or may be passed straight through the main portion to waste.

10. A kit according to claim 9, wherein the branched pipe, annular fittings and two-way valve are pre-assembled.

11. A kit according to claim 9 or claim 10, also including the collection tank.

12. A waste water conservation system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanyinq drawings.