A Beginners Guide To Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting has become a clever method of not only helping to power commercial and public buildings, but also the home. Dartford Football Club earned plaudits across the world when they implemented a rainwater harvesting system that transported water collected in the car park and used it for watering the football pitch itself. Now the same principles can be applied to your very own address. 

The Collection System

First, you need to set up a collection system, and this is most easily done when using a catchment area that runs off a broad surface. Roofs are very popular for this surface, and in some areas, this is the only legal catchment area permitted by regulations. This is as a result of the roof’s ideal shape for the collection of rainwater at the bottom of its sloped sides. There are a number of roofing options available to you when you decide to set up your rainwater harvesting system.

In most houses, the rainwater will need to be captured in a gully before it takes its natural course and slides down into the normal drain. This then runs into a conveyance system that takes the water to a storage point.

The Retrieval System

The retrieval point in many cases can be one or more barrels. This can then be connected to the conveyance system, but note that in order to retrieve water from storage tanks beneath the ground you will need a pump. You might also want to add a filter system of some sort, so the pipes do not become clogged. You now have a stored volume of water, which you are free to use on your gardens or lawns. Perfect for those hot dry months in which your outdoor space becomes a desert that has not seen any rainfall in days!

An additional benefit is that this is a lot better for the environment than taking the water out of the mains – so applaud your initiative in setting up the system and take pride as your home’s sustainability rating goes up through your rain-water-collecting roof!

An installation like this could even lead to a rise in the value of your property and of course will help save you money on those expensive water bills.

For rainwater harvesting solutions, take a look at our category page – you’ll see that we stock some of the industries top brands such as DAB and Lowara, or give the Anglian Pumping Services team a call now on 01473 719950.