SmartWUDHU’: Recycling Ablution Water for Sustainable Living in Malaysia

Abstract

The ablution ritual consumes large amount of water, especially in musollas and mosques, where the greywater is allowed to run free and drain away. As quoted in the Hadith, Prophet Muhammad reminded Muslims to avoid wastage, even when performing the cleansing ritual or ablution prior to prayer. The ritual, locally known as known as wudhu', requires a Muslim to wash exposed body parts with clean water. In Malaysia, most ablution system consists simply of a row of water taps with a drainage trough to carry the greywater to main drains. As the tap is usually left running, much good water is wasted in the process. Considering the unnecessary wastage, a simple recycling system can be designed to collect, treat and reuse the ablution water within a close-loop system for non-potable water applications, such as toilet flushing, general washing, plants watering and flowerbed cultivation. This approach does not only introduce practical engineering solutions in promoting sustainable living, it is also in-line with the Islamic principles of using natural resources in a prudent manner. By referring the University's own mosque, a study was conducted to develop and verify a conceptual model of the ablution water recycling system, named SmartWUDHU', which fulfills the requirements of Islamic teachings yet viable from the engineering perspective. A simple ablution water output prediction model was next proposed to more accurately quantify the capacity and efficiency of the close-loop water recycling system. Water quality check was also carried out to gauge the effectiveness of treatment against regulated standards as well as religious provisions. The SmartWUDHU' system, retrofitted or installed new, exemplifies a successful merge between engineering know-how and religious doctrines for enhanced quality living now, and into the future.

Characterizing Water Use at Mosques in Abu Dhabi

“…Limited quantitative research appears to have been published in English worldwide on how water is used at mosques. The majority of studies available focus on the potential for reuse of gray water: ablution generates large volumes of gray water that can be readily used for landscape irrigation or toilet flushing with little or no treatment (Prathapar,, Ahmed, Adawi, & Sidiari, 2005;Al-Wabel, 2011;Al-Mughalles, Rahman, Suja', & Abdullah, 2012; Instituting Water Demand Management in Jordan [IDARA], 2012;and Suratkon, Chan, & Ab Rahman, 2014).…”

“…Instituting Water Demand Management in Jordan (IDARA) (2012) and Suratkon et al (2014) include characterizations of mosque water consumption by various end uses. As shown in Figure 1, IDARA presents a breakdown (or water use profile) for mosques in Jordan for seven end uses: ablution, toilets, lavatory faucets, cleaning, showers, fountains, and landscaping.…”

“…As depicted in Figure 2, Suratkon et al (2014) reported typical values for water use by mosques in Malaysia for six end uses: ablution, toilet flushing, wash basins, cleaning, toilet pipes, and drinking water. In this case, ablution accounts for more than 85 percent of total water consumption.…”

Development of water saving toilet-flushing mechanisms

“…Results show that the toilet flushing alternative becomes cost effective at larger population densities. Abu Rozaiza (2002), Al Mamun et al (2014) and Suratkon et al (2014) studied using greywater resulting from ablution facilities in toilet flushing. Recycling of greywater is a good treatment of potable water wasting problem but, it is better to make prevention (Zaied 2016).…”

Water use and time analysis in ablution from taps

“…In ablution process, the tap is usually left running, much good water is wasted in the process (Suratkon et al 2014). It can be said that about half of the tap water flows directly to the drain without any contamination (Al Mamun et al 2014).…”