Frequently asked questions

What is Rainwater Harvesting?

Rainwater Harvesting usually involves collecting rainwater runoff from cleaner surfaces such as rooftops. It is a technique used to induce, collect, store and conserve runoff from an assortment of sources for unlimited purposes. The aim of Rainwater Harvesting is to concentrate runoff and collect it in a vessel to be stored for future use.

What is Stormwater Reuse?

Stormwater Reuse typically involves ground level catchments areas in combination with rooftops.

What are Rain Gardens?

Rain Gardens are a type of infiltration device and they accept runoff water from any surface and the store the water in a permeable layer underneath a garden or under a planting zone.

Why do any of this?

As urban development proceeds, the land becomes covered with impervious surfaces, like rooftops, roads, and parking lots, which do not allow rainwater to penetrate the ground. Instead the natural hydrological cycle is altered and the runoff is diverted by gutters and sewers eventually ending up as surfacewater in a lake or even diverted away from the thirsty aquifer. Increased impervious surfaces lead to faster peak flows, more erosion, and faster transportation of pollutants. When the aquifers are not replenished we get land subsidence due to aquifer compaction.

How do I start my own system?

  1. Determine level of commitment:

    1. Occasional

    2. Intermittent

    3. Partial

    4. Full

  2. Prepare a water balance analysis requiring the following information:

    1. Rainfall on a monthly basis for your area

    2. A site plan for the property involved

    3. A water demand program on a monthly basis (such as a landscape plan or a potable water requirement per person)

    4. A water distribution program (such as an irrigation plan or a plumbing plan

  3. Prepare a water budget.

    4. A water budget will balance the water provided by the system and the water needed to supply the needs required. It will allow a person to know if the catchment area must be increase or if the demand is too high for the catchment area delineated and the therefore needs to be reduced or augmented with an alternate water supply.

     

What are the six components of a Rainwater Harvesting system?

  1. Catchment: the surface upon which the rain falls

  2. Conveyance: transport channels or pipes from catchment area to storage

  3. Roof washing: the systems that filter and remove contaminants and debris

  4. Storage: cisterns or tanks where collected rainwater is stored

  5. Distribution: the system that delivers the rainwater

  6. Purification: includes filtering equipment, distillation, and additives to settle, help filter, and disinfect the collected rainwater.

See our Resources Section of this Internet site for further research and location of materials such as rain barrels and tanks or contact us with your questions and assistance with setting up your own system no matter what size