Rainwater harvesting

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It has been suggested that Rainwater tank be merged into this article or section.
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View of a Johad at village Thathawata

View of a stepwell at Fatehpur, Shekhawati. This one featured in the movie Paheli

Schematic showing how rainwater can be obtained from hillsides

Rainwater harvesting is the gathering, or accumulating and storing, of rainwater. [1]

Traditionally, rainwater harvesting has been practiced in arid and semi-arid areas, and has
provided drinking water, domestic water, water for livestock, water for small irrigation
and a way to increase ground water levels.

Contents
[hide]
 1 Systems
 2 Domestic rooftop rainwater systems
 o 2.1 System types
 2.1.1 DIY domestic systems
 2.1.2 Commercial domestic systems
o 2.2 System's operation
 3 Industrial systems
 4 Advantages in urban areas
 5 Quality
 6 Around the world
 7 References
 8 Bibliography

 9 External links

[edit] Systems
There are many types of systems to harvest rainwater. Notable systems are systems for
runoff rainwater (eg hillside run-off) and rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. The type
used depends greatly on the purpose (domestic or industrial use) and to some extent also
on economics and physical and human considerations. Generally speaking, rooftop
rainwater systems are most used as they are most economical (if there is more than
254mm of precipitation a year)[2] To determine the amount of precipitation falling in your
area, refer to this map.

[edit] Domestic rooftop rainwater systems

A domestic rooftop rainwater harvesting system

The regular set-up of a pressurized rooftop rainwater harvester

[edit] System types

At the moment, 2 types of systems are generally used. These include DIY and
commercial systems. Both of these systems are known under the term water harvesters
and require only a limited amount of knowledge to set up (if basic systems are used). In
both cases, the system consists of a storage tank to store the water and piping (to guide
the water in). Additionally, extra pressuring equipment as pressure vessels, inline pump
controllers or pressure sensitive pumps may also be required. [3] Finally, water purifying
equipment as water-purifying plants, UV-lights or distillation equipment are sometimes
(depending on local conditions [4] ) added to purify the collected water. The system is then
called a Greywater treatment system. Greywater systems are usually preferred over
regular water harvesters as they allow the system to not only treat the rainwater, but water
from other sources as well (eg the watercloset; if plants are used). However, this feature
may also be averted by using a UV-lamp and composting toilet instead.

Depending on local circumstances, a gravity-fed system may already be enough to have a

pressured water collection system. [5] In the latter case, no pumps/pressure vessels are
thus required to have a pressured system. In practice, gravity-controlled systems are
usually created by placing the water harvester on an elevation (eg rooftops).

[edit] DIY domestic systems

As water conservation is becoming more and more popular, more people have begun to
make their own homebrew installation. These systems range from traditional technologies
like rain barrels to more complex greywater systems. Through the internet, plans and
accurate construction information have become available. [6] [7] [8] Depending on the
degree of personal skill and preference, a more basic (regular water tank and piping[9]) -or
more advanced (e.g. pressured systems with water treatment, etc.) system is chosen.

[edit] Commercial domestic systems

Commercial systems are also made. They are offered by a variety of companies which
include Rain Man & Freerain Ltd, ... Commercial rain harvesters can be obtained in both
pressurized [10] as gravity-fed systems [11]. Greywater treatment systems are sold by
companies as Water Works UK, Nubian Water Systems, BRAC Systems, ... [12] Again,
they are available in pressurised as gravity-fed systems.[13] [14]

[edit] System's operation

A mechanism can be used to send the initial water flow to waste, usually the first few
liters. These are commonly known as 'first-flush' diverters, and are used to increase the
chance that the large-particle residue that might accumulate on your collection surface is
washed away from (and not into) your storage tank. Such a system also compensates for
the fact that the initial minutes of a rainfall can include airborne pollutants being washed
from the sky[citation needed], and likewise minimizes contamination of your captured supply.
Simple but regular inspection and maintenance of such a device is usually necessary.
Not all catchment systems use such a feature. For example, rainwater in rural areas of
Australia is traditionally used without such a system, and without treatment,[citation needed] but
this may be unwise in different environments.

[edit] Industrial systems

Rainwater may also be used for groundwater recharge, where the runoff on the ground is
collected and allowed to be absorbed, adding to the groundwater. In US, rooftop
rainwater is collected and stored in sump.[15] In India this includes Bawdis and johads, or
ponds which collect the run-off from small streams in wide area.[16][17]

In India, reservoirs called tankas were used to store water; typically they were shallow
with mud walls. Ancient tankas still exist in some places.[18]

[edit] Advantages in urban areas

Rainwater harvesting in urban areas can have manifold reasons. To provide supplemental
water for the city's requirement,it increase soil moisture levels for urban greenery, to
increase the ground water table through artificial recharge, to mitigate urban flooding and
to improve the quality of groundwater are some of the reasons why rainwater harvesting
can be adopted in cities. In urban areas of the developed world, at a household level,
harvested rainwater can be used for flushing toilets and washing laundry. Indeed in hard
water areas it is superior to mains water for this. It can also be used for showering or
bathing. It may require treatment prior to use for drinking

In New Zealand, many houses away from the larger towns and cities routinely rely on
rainwater collected from roofs as the only source of water for all household activities.
This is almost inevitably the case for many holiday homes.

[edit] Quality
As rainwater may be contaminated, it is often not considered suitable for drinking
without treatment. However, there are many examples of rainwater being used for all
purposes — including drinking — following suitable treatment.

Rainwater harvested from roofs can contain animal and bird feces, mosses and lichens,
windblown dust, particulates from urban pollution, pesticides, and inorganic ions from
the sea (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, SO4), and dissolved gases (CO2, NOx, SOx). High levels of
pesticide have been found in rainwater in Europe with the highest concentrations
occurring in the first rain immediately after a dry spell;[19] the concentration of these and
other contaminants are reduced significantly by diverting the initial flow of water to
waste as described above. The water may need to be analysed properly, and used in a way
appropriate to its safety. In Gansu province for example, harvested rainwater is boiled in
parabolic solar cookers before being used for drinking.[citation needed] In Brazil alum and
chlorine is added to disinfect water before consumption.[citation needed] Appropriate
technology methods, such as solar water disinfection, provide low-cost disinfection
options for treatment of stored rainwater for drinking.

[edit] Around the world

 Currently in China and Brazil, rooftop rainwater harvesting is being practiced for
providing drinking water, domestic water, water for livestock, water for small
irrigation and a way to replenish ground water levels. Gansu province in China
and semi-arid north east Brazil have the largest rooftop rainwater harvesting
projects ongoing.

 In Bermuda, the law requires all new construction to include rainwater harvesting
adequate for the residents.

 The U.S. Virgin Islands have a similar law.

 In Indus Valley Civilization, Elephanta Caves and Kanheri Caves in Mumbai

rainwater harvesting alone has been used to supply in their water requirements.

 In Senegal/Guinea-Bissau, the houses of the Diola-people are frequently equipped

with homebrew rainwater harvesters made from local, organic material.

 In the United Kingdom water butts are oft-found in domestic gardens to collect
rainwater which is then used to water the garden.

 In Colorado, water rights laws severely restrict rainwater harvesting -- a property

owner who captures rainwater is effectively stealing it from those who have rights
to take water from the watershed.[20]

[edit] References
1. ^ Definition of rainwater harvesting
2. ^ Earthship Volume 2:Systems and components
3. ^ Pressurising equipment sometimes required for rainwater collection systems
4. ^ Water treatments sometimes not needed
5. ^ Gravity-fed system trough height difference also sometimes enough for
pressured water collection system
6. ^ Roofwater harvesting information (ebooks, ...)
7. ^ VillageEarth Water harvesting information
8. ^ Concrete list of DIY-rainwater harvester systems and how to build them
9. ^ The Farm's DIY gravity-fed rainwater harvester
10. ^ Rainman water harvesters system operation
11. ^ Gravity-fed rain harvester
12. ^ Other commercial rain water harvesting systems
13. ^ Greywater systems aviable in gravity-fed as pressurised form
 14. ^ Example of gravity-fed greywater system
15. ^ Rainwater Harvesting and Water Purification System.
16. ^ The River maker, New Scientist, 7 September 2002. Online edition (full article
by subscription)
17. ^ Rima Hooja: "Channeling Nature: Hydraulics, Traditional Knowledge Systems,
And Water Resource Management in India – A Historical Perspective"
18. ^ Rima Hooja: "Channeling Nature: Hydraulics, Traditional Knowledge Systems,
And Water Resource Management in India – A Historical Perspective"
19. ^ It's raining pesticides, New Scientist, 3 April 1999.
20. ^ Graywater Reuse and Rainwater Harvesting in Colorado

[edit] Bibliography
 Frasier, Gary, and Lloyd Myers. Handbook of Water Harvesting. Washington
D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1983
 Gould, John, and Erik Nissen-Peterson. Rainwater Catchment Systems. UK:
Intermediate Technology Publications, 1999.
 Hemenway, Toby. Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture.
Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2000.
 Lowes, P. (1987). "The Water Decade: Half Time". in in John Pickford (ed.).
Developing World Water. London: Grosvenor Press International. pp. pp 16-17.
ISBN 0-946027-29-3.
 Ludwig, Art. Create an Oasis With Greywater: Choosing, Building, and Using
Greywater Systems. California: Oasis Design, 1994.
 Pacey, Arnold, and Adrian Cullis. Rainwater Harvesting. UK: Intermediate
Technology Publications, 1986.

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