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Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is the term used for trapping water which would otherwise have gone down the drainage system, into the ground or evaporated, so that it can be redistributed around buildings and gardens.
Harvesting systems can be installed in both new and existing buildings and can provide a medium-size home with as much as 100m3 a year by collecting rain off the roofs and driveways etc – that’s equivalent to around three baths every day. The water can be used in all manner of ways, including flushing the toilet, watering the garden and feeding the washing machine. It cannot be used for drinking.
Unlike a normal garden water butt, the storage tank for a rainwater harvesting system is very large and is usually situated underground. A separate pipe network is set up to the tank to supply toilets, outside taps and so on. In the event of the water level dropping too low the system switches to the mains water supply and if it gets too high, an overflow trap diverts excess water to a storm drain.
The installation of rainwater harvesting systems in homes, community buildings and schools has become increasingly popular in recent years as water shortages and restrictions have become commonplace.
Although harvesting rainwater has significant environmental benefits (not least being able to water your garden even when there is a hosepipe ban) the initial cost of installing a basic domestic system is around £2,500 so the payback time in financial terms could be long. Larger projects such as housing developments, industry and agriculture will yield much more attractive savings and far shorter payback periods.
To find out more about rainwater harvesting call us on 0121 308 5353 or email
info@footprint-es.com. |
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