A Rain Harvesting system seems to be an easy step forwards to more sustainable and eco friendly water use, both in suburban and rural environments, but there are a few things you should know before you install your system.
What will you use your rain harvesting system for?
Gardening? Fire Suppression? Drinking? Off-Grid? Each water need has a slightly different design, system requirements and approval process. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to rain water use, so be sure to understand your reasons for installing a system before you meet with a qualified contractor.
How much water do you use?
Demand will influence component size and having a full understanding of how much water you use will go a long way to determining if your home can manage solely on rain harvesting, or if you require back up from water delivery, a well, or city water. The average person uses 33gals/150 Litres in a day. The good news here is that there is a huge variety of eco friendly, low flo appliances to help you reduce your water use.
The first thing our team is going to suggest tho, is to get rid of that bathtub! Did you know that a bath will use about 70 Gallons of water compared to a shower which only uses 17 gallons! There are lots of great ways to recycle that old bathtub though, and save water while you do it!
What’s your collection area?
Where is all this rain coming from? The reality is we can’t just set a catchment tank up on your lawn to catch it! Start by looking at your available roof size, both on your home or outbuildings (or both) Your roof should be approved for catchment (ie metal roof, not shakes or shingles) If you feel you have a large enough collection area, get in touch with us and we will use our clever water charts to determine your catchment abilities for your area!
What’s your budget?
What’s your budget? We like to think “fit-for-purpose”. That is, whether you want the pure-function, or the show-case model, we believe there are options for everyone to begin rain harvesting. As a starting point, a potable rain harvesting system may cost you from XXX to XXX while a non potable irrigation or fire system may cost you from xxx to xxxx.
What is your permit process?
Different areas have different requirements. Depending on where you live, you may need an engineered design – but that’s not always the case. We are familiar with the different jurisdictions and understand their expectations so you don’t have any surprises. Before you begin though, you should be checking with your local restrictions to ensure there are no surprises when you begin!