A rainwater collection system does exactly what it sounds like…collects rainwater. In Australia, the dry climate has made the use of rainwater collection tanks a practical solution to a difficult problem. You need water for many reasons besides drinking. You need water for doing your laundry, flushing toilets, watering gardens and doing a myriad of outdoor cleaning chores. In fact, in South Australia up to 30% of the homes are already using a rainwater collection system and in the outback they have enabled people to obtain adequate water supplies despite the arid conditions.
The materials used in a rainwater collection system are fairly simple, because the system itself is efficient and easy to install. You can choose two different basic setups, and the one you choose determines the kinds of materials you will need.
Using Gravity and the Laws of Nature
A gravity flow rainwater collection system is one where you just let nature take its course. When it rains, gravity forces the water into the collection tank where it can then be pumped either to the yard and gardens or to the inside of the house.
A gravity system does not require a sump pump to get the water into the water tank. The basic materials required for the gravity system include the following.
* Gutter system for collection of rainwater
* Leaf trap which collections and diverts gutter debris
* PVC pipe which directs water into tank and for water flow outside tank
* First flush diverter to reject the first amount of rain collected
* Filter to remove rainwater debris
* Sand or more permanent base for tank
* Rain water tank
* Pump for pulling water out of tank
* Filtration system if pumping into house
When you are going to pump your water into the house, you will need to install a filtration system which is capable of filtering out smaller particles such as sediment, roof algae and heavy metals. House water can be used for flushing toilets and doing the laundry, and though you will not be drinking the water, you want the water as clean as possible to protect your clothes, appliances and plumbing system.
When Nature Needs an Assist
Sometimes nature needs an assist and gravity alone is not enough for filling the water tank with rainwater. This can be due to the lay of the land or because of where you want to locate the rainwater tank. In those cases you will need to add a sump pump tank between the first filter or first flush diverter and the rain water tank. The rainwater will flow from the gutter into the PVC pipe and through the first filter into the sump pump tank. The filtering system in this case will have to be able to remove sediment or any other contaminants which can damage the sump pump.
Of course the pump itself has a filter also. The sump pump then pumps waters through more PVC pipe into the rainwater tank. At that point, the water is ready to be distributed. Once again, if you are going to use the water inside the house you will need to add a filtration system which removes things like parasites, bird droppings, yeast, and any roof toxins that have made it to that point.
You can install your own system, but it is recommended you get professional assistance. A technician can provide valuable advice concerning the size of the pumps needed and the kinds of filtration systems that will work best on your particular setup. The materials used in the rainwater collection system are not complicated, but there are still some decisions that must be made which will impact the efficiency of the system.
You are making a wise decision when you choose to install one of the home water tanks. It is important to recycle natural resources such as water if you care about the earth on which you live.
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