rainwater harvesting

Environmental-friendliness, it seems, is becoming part of most companies’ creeds, mission-vision statements, and the like. No surprise there – there now are so many people who are aware of the effects of the ugly reality that is climate change.

And the more people made aware of climate change and its ugly effects, the more companies will follow suit, which leads to more people making environment-friendliness lifestyles to embrace.

This cycle, as a whole, leads to more people contributing to the restoration of the earth’s former glory.

If you’re looking to contribute yourself, there are so many ways you can do so. One of the best ways to contribute is to make your house an eco-friendly one. And one amazing way to make your home an eco-friendly one is by having a rainwater harvesting system set up on it.

How does a rainwater harvesting system make a house eco-friendly? The first thing you need to know about rainwater harvesting systems is that they minimize the need for water providers to use energy obtained from less-than-friendly sources for the following tasks – pumping out water from various sources and bodies of water, purifying water, and distributing water to millions of homes.

Another thing you need to know about rainwater harvesting is this process minimize soil erosion since they direct a good amount of rain to a container instead of letting them fall down the ground or the road and trigger a flooding.

A third thing to know about rainwater harvesting systems is that they help in replenishing the water table and other underground and surface sources of water. It’s easy to think that rainwater harvesting prevent the replenishment of different sources of water since they take and store rain, but the opposite is actually true – the more people that collect and use rainwater for different chores, the need to pump out water from different sources is lessened, and this allows water in other sources to be replenished.

Of course, the benefits of having a system for rainwater harvesting in your property will only be appreciated fully if the components are properly set up. Highlighted below are the components needed to build the rainwater harvesting system.

Catchment and drainage

The catchment system of a rainwater harvesting system is usually a roof connected to the rainwater storage tank. While any kind of roof can be used in rainwater harvesting, the best one to use is an unpainted metal roof. Metal roofs don’t have materials that can leach into water and contaminate it, but it must be left unpainted, as the composition of paint can do harm to people and animals alike upon consumption.

The drainage system is what connects the catchment system to the rest of the rainwater harvesting system. It is usually composed of a number of pipes that end with the rainwater storage tank.

Meshes, filters, first flush diverter, and purification system

These components are usually set along the drainage line all the way to the rainwater tank. Meshes keep out larger debris, such as leaves and twigs, while filters keep out smaller debris with sizes measuring in microns.

The first flush diverter removes the first flush of rain that falls and gets into the system after several dry days. This first flush of rain that gets into the system after a long time without rain is usually filled with all the contaminants that could have possibly built up on the catchment area which could not be removed due to the absence of the very rainfall that should flush them out.

Purification systems are any chemical or non-chemical water treatment options that kill or deactivate harmful micro-organisms and viruses that may have slipped past the first three water treatment options.

Rainwater tank

It’s safe to say that this is the central part of the rainwater harvesting system since this is where the water that falls down the catchment area eventually goes.

That said, it’s important that rainwater tank selection is done carefully. Doubly so considering that there are many options one can go for – each suitable for a certain lifestyle or household setup.

Aboveground tanks come in many flavours – round and slimline, metal and poly, small and large. Slimline tanks are, true to their name, slim-profiled and thus are space-saving options. Metal and poly tanks are durable in their own respects. Small and large tanks are suitable for small and large households, respectively. Go for a small tank if rain doesn’t often fall in your area, and go for a large tank instead if rain fall heavily during the year.

There also are underground and underdeck water tanks that help save space in your home. Your choice will depend on whether you have a deck in your residence or not. You can get an under deck water tank for your deck kitchen. An obstruction-free underground space definitely deserves an underground water tank.

Pump

The pump allows for the even distribution of collected rainwater across different parts of the house the system is connected to, thus making them another central component of the system. And like the rainwater tank, pumps come in many different variants, each suitable to a specific household setup.

Switcher

Although it’s possible to become fully reliant on rainwater for all tasks and chores that require water, it’s not all the time that rain falls. This is where the switcher comes in – it allows a household to switch between mains water and rainwater any time as needed.

Rainwater harvesting systems, when properly set up in one’s home, create a habit of saving water. This is because it presents the reality of the world’s water situation in one’s own household. This, in turn, will encourage the development of more eco-friendly habits.

 

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