Let’s not forget that most of the water that is being ‘used’ by houselholds is going through the toilet, shower, bath and sinks. Much of this water could be ‘lower grade’ water instead of drinking water. For instance more rainwater could be collected and used at least for flushing toilets, if not for showering. Building codes should incorporate this idea (which has been piloted some decades ago, but never stuck due to problems originating from faulty installation) - at least in the Netherlands. So a separate network of pipes for high grade drinking water and one for ‘grey water’. Tax the drinking water high (comparable to bottled water) and the ‘grey water’ from pipes lower, and the water used collected at home not at all. That would already be a more fair pricing of water.
Published by Peter Paap, Senior Forestry Consultant at Form International
Let’s not forget that most of the water that is being ‘used’ by houselholds is going through the toilet, shower, bath and sinks. Much of this water could be ‘lower grade’ water instead of drinking water. For instance more rainwater could be collected and used at least for flushing toilets, if not for showering. Building codes should incorporate this idea (which has been piloted some decades ago, but never stuck due to problems originating from faulty installation) - at least in the Netherlands. So a separate network of pipes for high grade drinking water and one for ‘grey water’. Tax the drinking water high (comparable to bottled water) and the ‘grey water’ from pipes lower, and the water used collected at home not at all. That would already be a more fair pricing of water.