Grantee Research Project Results

Residence-to-Garden Greywater Delivery System

EPA Grant Number: SU834335
Title: Residence-to-Garden Greywater Delivery System
Investigators: Goldberg, Nisse , Clements, Lee Ann , Lane, W. Brian
Current Investigators: Goldberg, Nisse , Clements, Lee Ann , Lane, W. Brian , Barra, Derrick , Janiak, Elizabeth , Dieujuste, Erdy , Carmody, Eric , Dey, Janelle , Manis, Jenna , Forkal, Kenzie , Huderson, Leon , Stoner, Patrick , Ly, Reynold
Institution: Jacksonville University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2009 through August 14, 2010
Project Amount: $9,976
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2009) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

We plan to design a greywater delivery system that is inexpensive and can be used for university residential units and for similarly-sized apartment complexes. We aim to design a greywater system that will collect and store water from air-conditioning (AC) units, laundry machines, and rain gutters of a residential apartment building at Jacksonville University, Florida. This greywater will be used to irrigate a demonstration garden. We will provide a website and an exhibit to educate the university’s 3000 students, staff, and faculty of the greywater delivery system, and the value of reusing greywater for irrigation purposes. We propose to:

• Design a greywater system, demonstration garden, and educational materials,
• Evaluate soil and water quality,
• Submit a greywater storage permit to the State of Florida,
• Implement a prototype that uses rainwater and AC condensate to irrigate a native plant garden, and
• Survey for changes in attitudes towards greywater and water conservation

Approach:

This project is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing upon the knowledge and skills of engineering, biology, and sociology students who will design, build, and evaluate one of the first on-campus residence-to-garden greywater systems designed by undergraduate students. The engineering students will focus on developing a greywater system that meets Florida’s permitting requirements. The biology students will collect and summarize water and soil data and will design the garden. The sociology student will survey residents to assess changing perceptions of greywater and water conservation. Following submission of the permit to build the greywater system, the team, with the help of the Campus Facilities Department, will install a prototype rainwater/AC collection system, garden, and education kiosk. Soil and water quality will be monitored after installation of the system. We will design and maintain a website that will describe the design and progress of the greywater delivery system and garden.

Expected Results:

Results will include a prototype of the system and garden, a summary of water and soil quality, and survey results. The website and educational materials will describe the project and water-consumption awareness. In addition, this project will deepen the university’s relationship with the greater Jacksonville community as we publicize the system and its purpose in water conservation.

Supplemental Keywords:

conservation, habitat, Florida, FL, waste reduction, terrestrial,

Progress and Final Reports:

Final Report