Domestic Rain Water Harvesting Installation

Rainwater Harvesting is the technology that ‘gathers’ or ‘accumulates’ and ‘stores’ the rain that runs off roof elevations and people have been harvesting rainwater for generations.
The water is generally of a reasonable quality and can be used for what is termed ‘brown water’ applications including the washing of vehicles, the watering of plants, the washing of clothes and the flushing of toilet cisterns.

The above examples you will notice don’t include domestic applications particularly drinking water and water for bathing etc although the more sophisticated systems feature a purification plant ensuring that captured rainwater is safely treated and can then be used for any purpose.

The available technology has superseded the old fashioned ‘rainwater butts’ that could be found underneath the down-pipes of many rural properties 40 years ago although still popular today with the captured rainwater mainly used for the watering of plants.

How do Rain Water Harvesting Systems Work

The system works by collecting rainwater from the roof elevations via a series of gutters/pipes where it is stored in an underground reservoir or tank.
The captured rainwater goes through a process of filtration and purification before it is pumped into a separate domestic circuit which feeds points of usage like washing machines, toilet cisterns and possibly an outside tap for the watering of plants and grass etc and the cleaning of windows and cars.
The process is fully automated so when you flush toilets etc, recycled water is provided ‘on demand’ but should recycled supplies be insufficient during dry spells, the system seamlessly switches to mains fed supply by means of a switch valve so plentiful supplies of fresh water is always available.
More sophisticated systems can be purchased that purify rainwater to the extent that it can be used for any application including drinking but these of course are a little more expensive.

Should the underground tank become full during periods of heavy rainfall, excess water will simply flow into the main drainage system or soakaways. 

The Benefits of Rain Water Harvesting

Unlike renewables, Solar, Wind and Tide etc, Rainwater is not energy but the environmental benefits of capturing and conserving this precious resource are just as important.

A consequence of climate change will be more frequent periods of drought according to the scientists so the recycling of water seems a perfectly sensible thing to do if only from an environmental point of view.

There is of course the financial benefit of lower domestic bills from the water board for those that provide their own water whilst at the same time preserving supplies at the reservoir.

The installation of Rainwater Harvesting Systems also reduces the threat of flooding which is another important benefit.
Rainwater, once it has been filtered doesn’t contain calcium deposits so washing machines don’t ‘fur up’, toilets don’t suffer from limescale deposits and cars washed with recycled water dry streak/smear free.

Due to the lack of reservoirs in the UK, flooding will become more commonplace and water prices will continue to rise as they have by over 70% since 1975.
The flushing of toilets accounts for about 45% of our daily usage so it is clear that the more we use free recycled water in this application, the lower our water bill will be now and in the future.

If you are a commercial user, the system qualifies for Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) which means that 100% of the cost can be offset against that years business tax liability and there is also a very tax efficient lease scheme by which to fund the purchase of this technology subject to status.

http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/products-services/pages/eca.aspx

Is this Rain Water Harvesting system suitable for my home?

The system is suitable for any property (domestic or commercial) that has a roof elevation exposed to rainwater.
The collecting tank can even be positioned under a driveway if garden space is at a premium so there are very few buildings that would not benefit from the installation of a Rainwater Harvesting system

Savings

Savings are fairly obvious because if you are using free water for the applications mentioned, then you are bound to see a saving on your domestic water bill.
As already mentioned, merely the flushing of toilets accounts for 45% of our water usage so look at your utility bill and see what difference that single saving would make to you.

Maintenance

The filter and purification unit (in larger systems) needs to be checked regularly for any debris which would affect performance but apart from that, there is very little that can go wrong.

We offer an annual health check on these systems at very competitive rates so relax…….you’re in good hands.