A brief guide about Rainwater harvesting

We've all done it, bent our heads back at a stormy sky, trying to catch a raindrop in our lips as it fell. However, did you realize that some people depend on rainwater as a water source? Rainwater harvesting is a method used in dry places around the globe to augment the population's water demands. However, the practice has taken off and is now used in homes, farms, and industrial sites all over the globe.

Rainwater harvesting: What is it?

The act of collecting and storing rainwater for use in irrigation, bathing, drinking, and other purposes is known as rainwater harvesting. Runoff from a building's roof is collected as rain, which is then either stored for later use or routed underground to resupply groundwater. Rain that falls on a roof gathers in gutters and downspouts before being directed into a storage container. There is a wide range in the sophistication of rainwater collecting systems, from the barrel you could use to water your garden to the massive cistern that supplies the cooling towers in a central industrial facility. Rainwater, after being filtered and purified, may be utilized for human consumption. You may collect rainwater in a rain barrel, in a dry or wet system.

Different kinds of rainwater harvesting systems

Rain barrels

The most popular and affordable rainwater harvesting systems are rain barrels. Rain from a roof is collected in a barrel that is positioned under a downspout. About 50 gallons of water are typically stored in rain barrels. You may use the barrel's base spigot to take water straight from it, connect a hose to it, or connect it to your irrigation system.

Dry systems

Compared to rain barrels, dry rainwater harvesting systems have more storage space, but their basic idea remains the same. A large tank is set up on your property, and pipes leading from your gutters into the tank fill it with water each time it rains. They are known as "dry systems" because, owing to gravity, the pipes utterly empty into the tank between periods of rainfall.

Wet systems

In contrast to rain barrels and dry systems, wet rainwater harvesting systems include subterranean pipes. Rainwater travels from gutters to subterranean pipes, rises in a vertical pipe, and either fills or empties an underground tank. They are known as "wet systems" because the pipes' water content does not dry up between periods of rainfall. Wet systems are susceptible to anaerobic fermentation and mosquito infestations because of stagnant water in the pipes. Therefore, it is advised to drain and filter the pipes regularly. Wet systems are more visually beautiful since the pipes are underground, and the tank may be farther from your house, even though they need more upkeep than rain barrels and dry systems.

Protecting the collected rainwater

The rainwater that is collected is generally clean, but there is always a chance that it might mix with other contaminants, trash, and microbes when it hits the roof. This is why the rainwater collecting and storage system has filtration and security features to guarantee the water's purity. Additionally, you must ensure that your barrel has a top cover to keep out children, animals, and insects.

Uses of collected rainwater at home

Rainwater may be utilized in a variety of ways around the house after it has been collected. Some of them include:

Drinking and cooking

According to study results, rainwater is one of the best quality sources of water that may be used directly for human consumption. Municipal organizations usually use it to sanitize the water in the containers since it is quite clean, uncontaminated, and free of chlorine or other contaminants. Additionally, a few systems on the market now enable the use of the collected rainwater for drinking and cooking without distilling or boiling it first.

washing clothes and taking a bath

According to several statistics, bathing accounts for about 20% of indoor water use in wealthy nations, while washing clothing uses approximately a quarter of that total. Citing the ratios in the research, a person might choose to utilize collected rainwater and cut down on municipal water consumption by 40%.

Watering gardens, lawns, and indoor plants:

The greatest kind of water for plant development is natural rainwater, and the water that is collected from the rain may be utilized for both the interior and outdoor gardens in your house. You may manually water all of your plants using any appropriate watering container. Additionally, you can connect an automated watering system to the rainwater storage tanks. You can also keep your land fertile by putting in passive rainwater collection and storage systems.

Water for wildlife and fire prevention:

Collecting rainwater will be a wise move if you chance to live in a region that is close to woods and prone to bushfires in order to prevent any future accidents and guarantee that there is adequate water for the local animals. The sole need for assuring timely access to water is installing an effective pump system.

For use in general cleaning

Another basic cleaning technique that we may readily use during the rainy season is mopping floors, communal places like staircases or verandahs, washing automobiles and trucks, and flushing toilets. The washing of equipment and cars, basic home cleaning, and upkeep of outdoor features like fountains, pools, ponds, etc., are a few other applications for rainwater.

Is drinking rainwater safe?

Theoretically, drinking rainwater is harmless since it is naturally distilled in the atmosphere. Drinking rainwater without first treating it or filtration is not recommended since airborne and surface pollutants might alter its quality. Airborne toxins, including dust, soot, and atmospheric pollution, poison the water when raindrops fall to the earth. Urban communities should be particularly concerned about this. Also, rainwater picks up contaminants from nearby surfaces, including rooftops, before being collected. For instance, contaminants on a roof surface, such as dust, bird droppings, germs, and pesticides, may wash into a storage tank with the rainwater.

A Conclusion

Recycling rainwater has the potential to lead the movement of sustainable environmental practices, given the continuous green infrastructure movement. Therefore, everyone may participate in this movement, significantly advancing environmental protection.