Because water is such a precious resource, and any effort (no matter how small) to conserve water is beneficial to the environment. Given that the recent years people have suffered during dry seasons, many are starting to learn how to harvest rainwater. Here are our tips on how to make the most of the storm season in your area.
Equipment Needed
There isn’t much needed for proper rainwater collection. Sometime of catchment (the surface where all the rainfall initially collects). You will also need to ensure that your gutters are all in top shape, that you have a rainwater diverter, and a rainwater barrel or storage tank to collect and store the water. Different coarse filters at different parts of the system will also ensure that the collected rainwater is relatively free of debris.
What Can I Use Harvested Rainwater For?
Unless you are willing to go through the trouble of filtering it properly, harvested rainwater is not potable so you cannot drink it or use it in making food. However, you can use rainwater as is for things like watering plants, flushing the toilet, washing cars or pavements, etc.
How Much Rainwater Can I Harvest?
This depends entirely on the climate in your area and how much rainfall you get. Additionally, the size of your storage tanks will limit the amount of water you can harvest. Ideally, you would try to get the largest tank possible, and collect as much water during the rainy season so that it can last you until the next year.
Problems With Collected Rainwater
Harvesting rainwater does not involve any work on your part once the system is set in place. However, after you’ve collected as much water in your storage tanks as you can, there comes the problem of keeping it fresh. Water that is left to stagnate will likely turn smelly and grow algae, bacteria, as well as insect larvae. Properly storing your water and treating it once a month with a chemical bleach is crucial to keep it fresh for a long time.
Making Rainwater Potable
Some people are able to harvest vast amounts of water, and decide to make it safe for consumption and not to limit themselves to using it for water plants. If you already have a water filter installed in your kitchen, then you don’t need to do much more. Otherwise, consider whether you want to filter your water using a UV filter, gravity fed filters, or by osmosis. If you’re using bleach and other chemical treatments on your water, osmosis and gravity fed filters are the only choice to filter out the chlorine from your water.
Summary
Harvesting rainwater is a great way to stay environmentally friendly and does not require a lot of work. It is a relatively simple process, but you should regularly inspect your rainwater collection system for damages and leaks in order to protect your home from water damage that can occur if your system overflows or if it is leaking at any point.
