The off-grid water system is a term that is derived from the term off-grid that came about in the mid-nineties. It was further highlighted by the environmentalist Nick Rosen in his ecological website and his book “how to live off-grid”. One of the easiest ways to get into off grid water filtration is to simply purchase a countertop system from USA Berkey Filters.
Off-grid is traditionally referred to as not being connected to an electrical grid but it can now include utilities like power, electricity, water, gas, heat systems. Off-grid is the living without aids from the public’s utility services. Off-grid simply means a way of life that eliminates the use of the public supply of utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer systems, etc.
Houses that operate independently and do not rely on the central supply of power and water are called off-grid homes.
An off-grid water system can therefore be defined as a fresh water supply and wastewater disposal system that does not make use of or depend on the electrical grid or municipal water supply.
In other words, an off-the-grid water system provides water that uses no municipal water supply, no well water, a system that manages all wastewater on-site even in drought conditions.
The antonym of off-grid is on the grid. It means being connected to a public supply of utilities.
Like all water systems, off-grid water systems or setups need a reliable water source and a place for dirty water to go to.
Off-grid water systems also involve plumbing. The plumbing has to be off the grid. This is made possible with the invention of composting toilets, septic tanks, wells, cisterns, etc.
There are also Off-grid water systems that use portable sinks as opposed to plumbing. Portable sinks provide washing stations that have hot and cold water for use in environments with no access to running water.
Off-grid water systems can be of extreme importance during power outages. This is because some basic home functions stop working when there is a power outage. With the use of off-grid water systems, the shortage of water as a result of a power outage is eliminated.
Power outage does not pose a threat to the smooth running of activities because the supply of water is not connected to an electrical grid and is self-generated.
There are various reasons or uses individuals or businesses decide to live off the grid and use off-grid water systems. Some of these reasons are practical.
Certain kinds of dwellings can be located in places that are far from the central power supplies. This makes the costs of such supplies prohibitive with impractical logistics. Examples of these dwellings are houseboats, caravans, motorboats, cruisers, cabins, etc.
Another reason people prefer the use of off-grid water systems is to save money. After the initial costs involved in setting up the generation of energy and water processing equipment, off gridders continuously get the resources for free.
Environmentalists are also making use of off-grid water systems because it is capable of reducing the environmental impact that is caused in a home. These reduced environmental impacts can be achieved in many ways through the use of renewable energy sources and supply of water that can be flushed down the toilet where it will be processed and will later be recycled as drinking water later
Off-grid water systems are sometimes associated with self-sufficiency and linked with scenarios of survival. There are proponents campaigning the need to prepare for declining energy supplies & the possible collapse of the oil economy.
Microgeneration is a related term that also refers to the process of a house or business that caters to its needs by producing its own electricity and water by itself.