With the help of some talented Engineer students from France, we constructed a 22m3 water filter to begin the process of Phyto-remeditation.

What does that all mean?

To break it down; Phyto-remediation uses certain types of plants to remove contaminates from water. Along with a system of bassins, made up of layers of rocks and sand that filter the water initially, allowing the solids to settle.  The ‘filtered’ water is then directed into the last pond with a specific mix of plants (duckweed and hyacinth ponds or rooted vegetations) that then through the process of phytopurification remove and accumulate the last of the impurities, leaving fresh water that can be recycled into watering the garden. Even broken down the process sounds complicated!

Luckily we had a team of experts helping us from abroad and on site to ensure that the rocks and sand layers where made up of the right sized rocks, the plants were the correct type, the dispersion of water from the pipes, the gravity needed between each bassin, etc!

There have been many dramas along the way, but this way of recycling grey water has meant that our carbon footprint out here really is minimal and we are not pouring dirty water into our precious ocean or waterways. This system, along with the use of natural soaps and homemade cleaning products means that L’Ane Vert really is an ecolodge and your holiday is environmentally guilt free!