Greywater
Greywater refers to domestic wastewater that doesn't contain sewage. Because the nastiest of the waste is dealt with in our composting toilets, treating the remaining wastewater becomes much easier. Greywater from the Entrance Pavilion is held in a septic tank where natural processes break down most of the waste products. The water is then pumped into a pressurized drip irrigation system. This is simply a grid of special pipes laid on the surface of the ground within a bed of wood chips. The pipes are laid directly on the surface to prevent damage to shallow tree roots and the organic layer of the soil. The naturally occurring soil organisms, and physical properties of the soil trap and break down the remaining impurities and the treated water percolates through the soil to replenish our ground water.
A slightly more intensive treatment system was needed in the Interpretation Centre because of the added load of the wastewater coming from the restaurant kitchen. In this case, the greywater is first treated with a Waterloo Bio-filter before being pumped into the drip irrigation system. The biofilter consists of 4 large tanks filled with sponges. The sponges provide a massive surface area that is colonized by beneficial bacteria that take on the job of breaking down the waste products in the water.
To aid the natural water treatment process used at Cape Jourimain we use only biodegradable soaps and cleaning products.
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