The potential utilization of grey water for irrigation: A case study on the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Campus

The problems of shortages and quality deterioration of water, have led to an increased interest in the reuse of treated grey water in many parts of the world. This study examined the suitability of locally available materials (beach sand, oyster shells, and charcoal) to treat grey water samples collected weekly from three halls of residence (Unity Hall, Africa Hall, and Independence Hall) on Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus for irrigation. Beach sand, oyster shells, and charcoal were employed in the construction of three vertical flow-through filter systems, each consisting of PVC pipes of height 100 cm and internal diameter 5.08 cm. The grey water samples were filtered and the levels of physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, TDS and salinity), nutrient and microbial counts determined over a three-week period. Results indicate that the measured physico-chemical parameters treated grey water were within the permissible limits for irrigation water. Also filtration process is effective in reducing phosphate, the total and faecal coliform levels in grey water from the halls of residence. These observations suggest that treated grey water from KNUST campus would support production when used as irrigation water.