MANAGING GREYWATER REUSE: REGULATORY STRATEGIES AND IMPLEMENTATION IN GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/JTHEM.1143044Keywords:
Freshwater Scarcity, Greywater, Green Building, Planning Permission, RegulationAbstract
Greywater is wastewater from domestic activities such as showers, handwashing, laundry, and washing machines. Reusing greywater for non-potable activities such as gardening, toilet flushing, and car washing has been proven to be a sustainable solution to freshwater scarcity. This approach is particularly relevant in Malaysian states such as Selangor, which are regularly affected by water shortage due to water pollution and prolonged dry seasons. Greywater reuse remains relatively underdeveloped in Malaysia. Notably, as the number of water supply disruptions has increased, there has been a call for an alternative water supply using greywater. Reusing greywater is also part of the Green Building initiatives that can be implemented in Malaysia. Since there is no specific law or standard governing the development of greywater treatment systems to ensure a sustainable water supply in Malaysia, this paper examines a potential regulatory mechanism for governing greywater systems in anticipation of wider national adoption. To achieve this objective, this paper examined the laws of other countries, namely California greywater regulations, California Plumbing Code (CPC), and the European Standard "EN 16941 series, on-site non-potable water systems- Part 2: Systems for the use of treated greywater (EN 16941 2:2021)" which regulates the greywater treatment system. Both jurisdictions adopt performance-based technical standards, while Malaysian law is silent on this aspect. Thus, this paper proposes a regulatory framework that integrates building control requirements, plumbing standards and planning conditions to integrate greywater reuse within Malaysia’s green building regime. The standard must be adhered to in addition to the conditions imposed by the local planning authority upon granting the planning permission. A well-regulated greywater treatment system can enhance urban water resilience and help diversify Malaysia’s water supply sources. This also contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) particularly 6.3 on improving water quality and wastewater treatment.
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