Rainwater Harvesting

June 24, 2009 | Filed Under Work At Home

by Tal Potishman

One of the privileges of living in the UK is having easy access to water. However, there are areas in England which are experiencing water shortages. This will come as a surprise to many. Therefore this will be a wake up call to many of us who take our water for granted. There are methods of saving water, and once we start doing this, we will reap the benefits.

This is when rainwater harvesting comes in. Rainwater harvesting is simply collecting rainwater that would otherwise go to complete waste. The idea behind it, is make use of water that falls out of the sky which can easily be used for a wide variety of purposes as an alternative to just relying on mains water supply. Rainwater harvesting is not a new concept as it has been practiced for centuries, and still is in various countries.

Using the water butt

A very simple and easy to use method to harvest rainwater is to place a water butt on your down-pipe. This method is very-cost effective and it will help you save the water for use in the garden or for car washing. Depending on the size of your garden, you could even fit two water butts next to each other from the same downpipe.

If you wish to go one step further, you can try upgrading to a simple harvesting rainwater pump and filter. This pump creates a pressurised system that can then be used in conjunction with a hosepipe; great for watering the garden or washing the car using a hosepipe.

How can we use the rainwater?

You can use rainwater for outdoor purposes such as topping up swimming pools, washing windows watering the garden, and cleaning patios. As well as saving on drinking water-use, rainwater is beneficial for other purposes too. For example, it encourages less build-up of calcium deposits in appliances.

Rainwater in the house

Once the rainwater is filtered, it can even be used around the house to supply toilets or washing machines. However, it is important for the rainwater to be filtered and siphoned in order to make it suitable as a source of non-drinking water.

In deciding which tank to install next to your house, you should think about a few things. The type of area you live in, the number of people that are living with you, and the amount of water that will be used all play a big part. The procedure is then as follows; once the correct tank has been installed the rainwater is then filtered and pumped into a header tank in the loft of your home where it is distributed into a household and non-drinking supply. Do not be surprised to learn that some modifications will need to be done to your existing plumbing. This is essential so that the rainwater supply will be separate from your fresh water supply.

Final thoughts

As the water rates are continuing to get higher, more people are getting concerned on how to save on money. This is why rainwater harvesting is now becoming a viable option to the household owner. Much of the water that we use does not have to come from the mains supply, as rainwater will be just as sufficient. There are many long-term benefits associated with harvesting rainwater, and these should not be dismissed.

About the Author:

Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about boilers, central heating, Mill Hill plumbers, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.

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