Sustainable disposal and potential reuse of greywater produced at households in informal settlements: a case study of Monwabisi Park, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

The disposal of greywater is a challenge for informal settlements that do not have a reticulation system to collect the wastewater stream. However, studies have proved that there are some benefits associated with the reuse of greywater. The reuse of greywater around the household is a benefit because the demand for fresh water is reduced and also there is a necessity associated with sustainable disposal of greywater which will prevent environmental health risks. The former is attached to the protection of clean water resources while the latter acts as a preventive mechanism in sustainable water resource management. Greywater effluent can provide a platform as a resource in household uses that do not necessary require the use of freshwater. The term, sustainability in the context of the current study, not only incorporates the minimal use of scarce drinking water resources, but considering recent drought conditions, lowering the use of clean water also entails having to properly dispose wastewater (greywater) to prevent environmental health conditions. This is associated with the accumulation of wastewater effluent and the protection of aquifers/ underground water resources from being contaminated by greywater effluent that infiltrates the ground. Hence, it is by far a crucial topic that needs to be investigated in the absence of proper management mechanisms and facilities when it comes to informal settlements compared to its counterpart, being the formal settlements. The study has administered semi-structured survey questionnaires to the residents of Monwabisi Park community through an interview process during the field visits. A total number of 69 questionnaires were administered and the respondents of the ages between 18 to 70 years. From this sample population, 51 % were female and 49 % were male. This process has also allowed the research to be able to get a deeper meaning behind the responses of the respondents. Apart from covering matters pertaining to water access, sanitation, and deducing the sources of greywater effluent in the households of informal settlements, the questionnaire has addressed greywater management in which the perceptions towards reused, recycling and sustainable disposal of greywater effluent were investigated. The disadvantages of greywater reuse from the community were also investigated and matters concerning environmental health implications, especially those concerning children in which grey water pondering may results in nuisance and diseases. The data collected was then analysed in which statistical and graphical representations were performed. The data analysed also included the perceptions of the community towards the sustainable disposal and potential reuse of greywater produced in each household were elucidated. The analysis of the data have revealed an unstable and multifaceted relationship between unemployment and educational levels. Both unemployed and less educated respondents demonstrated lack of knowledge and interest in the reuse and sustainable disposal of greywater effluent. Though other respondents revealed that they do use greywater, there is a huge deal of environmental education that is necessary in changing the communities’ perceptions. The study has found that the community’s perceptions need to be changed through educational initiatives that will make the community realize these benefits which will provide positive feedback in the promotion of greywater reuse and sustainable disposal aspects for informal settlements. The community of informal settlements are high risks in that they must be aware of not only the benefits, but also the disadvantages of unmanaged greywater and its implications to their health and surrounding environment. The residents who currently use greywater need to be well informed about which types of greywater to use and to what extent they can use it. Thus, this current research presents the findings and the assessment of the objectives set for the study pertaining the sustainable disposal and potential reuse of greywater produced in the households of Monwabisi Park informal settlement.