Six of the best ways to collect precious rainwater at home

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Water, water everywhere and not a single drop to drink – goes the old adage. However, it is not the same story nowadays. But judging by the way human beings are exhausting all the natural resources one by one, there will hardly be any water left on our planet in the future. So here is how we can contribute to Mother Nature; by conserving and preserving water, electricity and other valuable resources at every possible instance.

Harvesting rainwater is a very easy and effective way to conserve water even when you are simply sitting in your home. The government has been stressing time and again the importance of rainwater conservation. The best part is that it doesn’t involve much cost or effort. This harvested rainwater can be used in myriad ways, thereby reducing our need to depend on the pipeline water supply.

Here are some of the best ideas to collect rainwater without wasting it. 

Why should we capture rainwater?

Preserving rainwater has several advantages. When there is a drought, it helps to provide water for every day usage and mitigates flood in the low lying areas. Besides, it also helps avoid run off loss and ground water contamination. The water quality of rainwater is also excellent and naturally soft, since it contains no dissolved minerals or salts.  

Rainwater can also be used for several non-drinking purposes like flushing toilets, watering the garden and washing clothes. However the unpredictability of rainfall poses a disadvantage, and hence rainwater harvesting is more of a seasonal process for conserving water. You must have heard of the saying – make hay while the sun shines. Similarly, you need to preserve rain water when it rains.

Install a mini tank

A mini tank is an excellent method for collecting rainwater from the rooftops via rain gutters. Its low profile design, along with integrated columns, gives excellent load bearing strength.  Though the cost of setting up a mini tank is initially high, in the long run they prove to be economical. 

Remember that it is important to have proper filtering mechanisms to screen out mosquitoes. Also ensure that the tanks are properly sealed to combat these mosquitoes and algae growth. Plastic, concrete and galvanized steel are some of the preferred materials for mini tanks. You can install these in your garden too, as a soothing water feature.

Go for a water box

A water box, in simple terms is a rectangular box used for holding water. The water box is the ideal solution for preserving rain water in tropical countries and other such places. It purifies the water through a simple filtration method, and results in clean safe drinking water for the consumers. Some of them also employ UV radiation treatment to kill all the bacteria and viruses completely. 

Water boxes can be completely portable, and are very easy to install. Besides, it purifies the water in a single process without much effort. These stone water troughs shown above not only serve as receptacles for rainwater, but they also add to the aesthetic beauty of a property. They were created by Barry Holdsworth Ltd., landscape designers from Battle.

Use barrels for storing rainwater

Rain barrels are a great way to store rain water and are easy to make without involving any cost. For every inch of rain that falls on a 500 sq ft roof or garden, you will be able to collect 300 gallons of water. 

All you need to make a rain barrel at home is a plastic garbage can, rubber washers and a metal washer. Just drill a hole at the bottom of the barrel and insert a spigot. Place the metal washer on the threaded end of the spigot to keep the washer in place and prevent leakage. In places with heavy rainfall, massive custom-made barrels may be required as shown above. These can hold more water and are interconnected with pipes.

Make the most out of plastics and textiles

Splashing water Demural Baños de estilo moderno Decoración

Plastic materials can work wonders for rainwater storage. Plastic tanks and tubs are widely used as mediums for conserving rain water. The underground plastic storage tanks are simply septic tanks that are made with FDA grade plastics. 

Ensure that the quality of the plastic used in the storage tanks is of high quality. If you have an old bathtub lying around uselessly, keep it out in the garden or yard to collect rainwater without any hassle. Waterproof fabrics are also extensively used for rainwater harvesting.

What about a system on the roof?

Rooftop harvesting is a common method for catching the rainfall and then storing it in a tank or an artificial system. It is an extremely effective and a very inexpensive method that helps augmenting the ground water level of the area. There are four major components for the system from the roof.

1. Catchments: The surface that directly gets the rainfall is called the catchment. Terrace, courtyard, open grounds are a few examples.

2. Transportation: Once the rainwater gets collected in the rooftop, it needs to be carried down through pipes or drains for storage. The water pipes should have UV resistivity of the required capacity.

3. First flush: Water that is received from the first shower is flushed off using the first flush. It is important to flush off the first shower so as to avoid contamination and material deposits.

4. Filter: The most common concern in rainwater harvesting is contamination with ground water. A proper filtering mechanism is extremely important to ensure that there is no leakage and turbidity. Gravel, sand and the netlon mesh filters are the commonly used filters which remove dust and organic matter from entering into the storage tank. Purification of water is extremely important and should not be ignored. While the sand gravel filter is the most commonly used one, the charcoal filter and the PVC pipe filters are the other alternatives.

There are also several other methods employed for rooftop harvesting of rainwater. The most commonly used method involves storing of rainwater in a storage tank, and then diverting the excess water to a recharge system. Another way for rooftop harvesting is through the recharging of ground water aquifers by recharging bore wells, pits or trenches.

Most of the methods that we have discussed above are low on budget and high on output. So do your bit to preserve rainwater and save the environment. It pays to be safe, not sorry! For more inspiration, take a look at another ideabook - 7 Tips to integrate water in the garden.

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