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Greywater and your property

Greywater is the wastewater from your shower, bath, hand basin, laundry tub and washing machine. It does not include wastewater from a kitchen, toilet or urinal.

If you collect greywater safely, you can use it to irrigate your lawns and gardens, which is helpful during periods of low rainfall. You could also save hundreds of litres of fresh water each day.

Reusing greywater

Greywater reuse is regulated because it can spread disease. Infection can occur if untreated greywater is stored, and animals or children come into contact with it.

A simple way to re-use greywater at home is to collect water in a bucket from your washing machine or shower and use it to water your lawn and garden. You don't need Council approval to do this, but we recommend you don’t store the collected greywater and use it straight away.

Benefits

Reusing greywater has many benefits. These include:

  • Irrigates lawns and gardens during dry periods.
  • Helps to reduce water bills.
  • Helps to preserve drinking water which is a precious resource.

Tips for safe reuse

Don't A red cross

  • drink greywater
  • use greywater on your veggie garden, fruit trees, or areas where kids and animals play
  • overwater plants
  • reuse wastewater from your kitchen sink or dishwasher unless it is chemically treated. Kitchen wastewater contains high levels of oils, fats and food particles that can clog soils and create unwanted smells
  • use when members of your household are sick
  • use water that has washed nappies.

Do a green tick

  • use only on plants that humans won’t eat or touch
  • use greywater straight away – do not store it
  • use only second rinse water
  • ensure greywater does not pool on the ground surface.

Approvals required

Some types of greywater disposal need Council approval.

In sewered residential premises, greywater may be reused in one of three ways:

  • You can use buckets to collect small quantities of greywater from your washing machine or shower to water gardens or lawns.
  • You must use this water straight away - do not store it.
  • You do not need Council approval.
  • This is the cheapest way to use greywater.
  • Do not collect rainwater in buckets when it's raining or when the soil is already saturated. This will prevent greywater running into neighbouring properties.

  • A greywater diversion device diverts greywater (excludes kitchen wastewater) to irrigate lawns or gardens. This occurs through underground drainage below the soil surface.
  • The device does not treat or store the water.
  • A licensed plumber must install your diversion device.
  • You won’t need Council approval if the device has a WaterMark licence, although conditions still apply. These include:
    • Your property is connected to Council's sewer.
    • Your property is not in an environmentally sensitive area.
    • Your property is a single domestic dwelling (not a multiple dwelling such as a unit, strata title property etc,).
    • Greywater must not be stored or treated other than primary screening or filtering.
    • You must dispose of greywater via a sub-surface irrigation system at least 100mm below ground.
    • You must use a 'WaterMark' licensed diversion device, and a licensed plumber needs to install it in line with the National Plumbing and Drainage Code.
    • You must meet the exempt conditions of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.

  • A greywater treatment system collects, treats and stores household greywater for re-use.
  • You can use the water to irrigate gardens, flush toilets and in washing machines.
  • Make sure you get a system accredited by NSW Health.
  • You need to get Council approval to install and use a greywater treatment system.
  • A licensed plumber must install the system.
  • A greywater treatment system can significantly reduce your water bill and water use.

Apply for approval

To apply for approval, complete the application and return it to Council.

You will also need to follow the NSW Guidelines for Greywater Re-use:

What happens next?

  • We will send an invoice for the application fee, which you'll need to pay.
  • Our officer will review your application and visit your property to assess the site.
  • If we need more information, we will contact you.
  • If we approve your application, we'll issue a notice that includes the conditions of approval. These conditions include installation, maintenance and monitoring requirements that you need to follow.

More information

Contact us

If you need more information about greywater, please contact our Public and Environmental Health Team: