The Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting
For those whose communities allow them to collect rainwater, the
practice offers a number of environmental and economic benefits. For
starters, harvesting rainwater helps control storm-water runoff, which reduces the risk of erosion in gardens and around downspouts, minimizes the impact on local storm-water infrastructure and combined sewer systems, and helps reduce the threat of flooding.
Not only does rainwater harvesting help environmental and human infrastructure cope with large amounts of rain (and save municipalities money), but it also puts that water to good use. Stored rainwater can be used for both outdoor and indoor uses, including landscape irrigation, watering plants or gardens, toilet flushing, laundry, washing cars or patio furniture, and even bathing or drinking (although using rainwater for drinking requires treatment prior to use).
Rainwater’s many uses can help people save money
on utility bills—especially because the water is practically free
(minus the cost of the collection system). The roof of a
1,000-square-foot house can collect around 600 gallons per one inch of rain—that’s enough free water to fill more than 15 bathtubs! Additionally, some communities offer rebates or reduced fees to homeowners who practice rainwater harvesting.
Another great benefit of rainwater harvesting is it decentralizes the water supply.
That means instead of being completely dependent on municipal sources,
consumers who choose to harvest rainwater have more control over how
their water is sourced, treated, and put to use. In fact, some people
are motivated to install rainwater-harvesting systems for the sole
purpose of having a private, protected source of water in case of emergency or if the municipal water supply becomes contaminated.
How to Harvest Rainwater at Home
Ready to hop on the rainwater harvesting train? It’s helpful to ask yourself a few questions before getting started. Most importantly, consider:
- For what purpose(s) do you want to use rainwater?
The way you plan to use rainwater will determine how much rainwater
you’ll need to collect, the system you’ll need to use, and the costs,
equipment, and maintenance involved. For example, collecting rainwater
for watering plants will require a vastly different system than using
rainwater for in-home activities, such as flushing the toilet,
showering, or doing laundry. - What are the laws in your area concerning rainwater harvesting?
Some states consider rainwater the property of the state and prohibit
its collection, while other regions encourage homeowners to participate
in rainwater harvesting. Consult with your local government (try the health department or environmental quality department) before setting up any harvesting systems.
Once you’ve determined the answers to the questions above, it’s time
to choose a rainwater harvesting system. While they vary in size,
complexity, and function, all systems share the same basic components:
- Catchment area: This is the area that first captures the rainfall; it is most commonly the roof of a building or house.
- Conveyance system: This refers to whatever moves the water from the roof to its storage area—for example, gutters, downspouts, and piping.
- Storage system: Typically a barrel, cistern, or tank, this is what collects the rainwater for later use.
- Distribution system: This refers to whatever is
used to move the water from the storage system to wherever it’s being
used—whether that’s a watering can or an underground irrigation system.
In their simplest forms, rainwater harvesting systems consist of a barrel placed under a building’s downspout. Other options include aboveground and underground cisterns, drip irrigation systems, professionally landscaped rain gardens, and systems that hook directly into a building’s plumbing. The specifications of more advanced systems (which can cost thousands of dollars) will vary based on your needs and the system used.
If you’re interested in simple rainwater collection, your best bet is
the popular barrel-under-a-downspout system. High-quality rainwater
barrels tend to cost
approximately $100 and should include a spigot that allows users to
easily fill up watering cans or attach a hose. DIY-inclined people may
choose to build their own barrel or customize a large garbage can. If
you want to give DIY a try, check out this resource for detailed instructions.
Once you’ve procured your barrel(s), there are a few important factors to keep in mind prior to and after installation:
Location: Rain barrels can be installed along houses,
under decks, or in other unused spaces. Locate barrels under a
downspout (ideally one that’s closest to the area where you’ll want to
be using the water). Be sure not to place the barrel near utility services or septic tanks.
Roof: The material of your roof will affect how much water
can be collected in addition to the quality of the water. As stated
earlier, the average (25 foot by 40 foot) home roof sheds approximately
600 gallons of water in one hour of moderate rainfall. That means every
downspout attached to your roof will divert a portion of those gallons to the barrel underneath it. The more barrels you have, the more rainwater you can collect.
Screens: It’s helpful to place a screen
over the area where the downspout meets the gutter in order to help
filter out leaves and other debris and to keep the downspouts from
getting clogged. A fine-mesh aluminum window screen can help keep insects out of the water in the barrel, as well. Also be sure to keep all openings to the barrel covered.
Installation: The higher you raise the barrel(s), the better the water pressure
when you use the spigot. A simple way to raise the barrel is to place
it on top of a flat bed of cinder blocks. Start by digging a four-inch
deep area the length and width of the cinder block base. Fill the area
with quarter-inch pea gravel in order to help you level the cinder
blocks (this will also help to keep the foundation dry). Line the area
with the cinder blocks and then position the barrel on top. Note: Some municipalities regulate the manner in which rain barrels can be installed;
some even require the base to be designed by a structural engineer. Be
sure to review your community’s rules before installing your rainwater
harvesting system.
Usage: Because rain can wash various contaminants into the water (for example, bird poop, bacteria, parasites, or chemicals from your roof), experts advise
that water collected in rain barrels not be used for drinking, bathing,
or watering plants you intend to eat unless it is specifically treated
for these uses.
Filters: There are a variety of filters and disinfection systems that can treat water to acceptable levels of quality. A “first flush diverter”
is a simple device that can help reduce contaminants by removing the
first water that comes out of the system, since it’s likely to contain
the most contaminants. Water intended for drinking needs to be filtered,
disinfected, and tested regularly.
Overflow: During particularly heavy rains, it’s
possible the barrel may overflow. The pea gravel under the cinder blocks
will help to drain this excess water away from the barrel. You may also
choose to install an overflow port near the top of the barrel (attaching it to a hose can divert excess water directly to a garden or lawn).
Maintenance: A great way to help keep your rainwater free of contaminants is to follow the seasonal maintenance schedule outlined in this guide. Also be sure to visually inspect
the system’s components regularly and make any replacements or repairs
immediately. Drain the tank a minimum of every three to five years in
order to check for deterioration and clean out debris.
And there you have it: the basics of rainwater harvesting. Now get out there and dance in (or collect) the rain!
Thinking of rainwater harvesting after reading this article? Check
out these women’s boots before you go out sloshing through puddles. — http://www.custommade.com/gallery/custom-shoes/
this post is a combination of a few smaller posts that were knocking
around from the early days of K.W.N. As these posts contained excellent
information on rainwater harvesting and filtering, I have compiled them
here in one larger post. I stumbled across this diagram a while back.
Unfortunately, I was unable find the …
different homemade water filter tutorials. 2 bio-sand filters, 2
filters made from trash, another from a tree branch, and a cheap DIY
Berkey water filter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnDcjSp89GI
Science - Environment - What is Rainwater Harvesting - English
Bodhaguru
756K subscribers
Hello,
BodhaGuru Learning proudly presents animated videos in English to
explain importance of rainwater harvesting. It shows how to do rooftop
rainwater harvesting. It describes how to make simple sand filter for
purifying rain water.
About
us: We are a social enterprise working on a mission to make school
learning interesting, relevant and affordable to every child on this
planet.
You can watch our FREE online videos at http://www.bodhaguru.com/watch and download our practice application/games - just visit http://www.bodhaguru.com/play
If you like our videos, subscribe to our channel http://www.youtube.com/user/BodhaGuru…. Feel free to connect with us at http://www.facebook.com/BodhaGuru OR http://twitter.com/Bodhaguru
Have fun, while you learn. Thanks for watching
—
Team BodhaGuru
Category
Education
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNXooT2FVXM
Rainwater Harvesting - Home System Tour
homesteadonomics
352K subscribers
Here is a tour of my whole house rainwater harvesting system that
accounts for approx. 90% of my family’s needs here in the Arizona
Sonoran desert. If you are interested in rainwater harvesting I hope it
my give you some ideas of things that you can do in your own area of
the world. If we can do it here in this area, I think most anyone else
can certainly add to there water security with just a few simple steps.
Thanks for watching and please let me know if you have any questions:)
#rainwatersystem
#diyrainwaterharvesting
#culvertcistern
#diyculvertcistern
#watercollection
#waterstorage
#emergencywater
#homesteadonomics
I own 100% of the visual content in this video. Intro music and second
song were created for me by my brother in law, Trey Harris. The first
song and last two songs were from the YouTube audio library. Credits
are as follows:
First Song:
Ever Felt Pt. 1 - Otis McDonald
Second to last song:
Radio Rock by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/…)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Last song
Malmo Sunrise - The 126ers
Category
People & Blogs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnDcjSp89GI
Science - Environment - What is Rainwater Harvesting - English
Bodhaguru
756K subscribers
Hello,
BodhaGuru Learning proudly presents animated videos in English to
explain importance of rainwater harvesting. It shows how to do rooftop
rainwater harvesting. It describes how to make simple sand filter for
purifying rain water.
About us: We are a social enterprise
working on a mission to make school learning interesting, relevant and
affordable to every child on this planet.
You can watch our FREE online videos at http://www.bodhaguru.com/watch and download our practice application/games - just visit http://www.bodhaguru.com/play
If you like our videos, subscribe to our channel http://www.youtube.com/user/BodhaGuru…. Feel free to connect with us at http://www.facebook.com/BodhaGuru OR http://twitter.com/Bodhaguru
Have fun, while you learn. Thanks for watching
—
Team BodhaGuru
Category
Education
