Why Manufacturing is Cool

Did you know that most of the water that falls during a rainstorm is 'lost' in terms of usability? In other words, it escapes to the ocean or seeps beyond the aquifer and is not available to collect for human needs. When you consider that rainwater is perfectly clean and can be used for a variety of commercial and residential uses 'as is,' then you can see the benefits of installing a direct harvesting system wherever you are. If you're thinking about capturing this valuable water at home before it escapes, how should you go about this?

Why Is This Valuable?

Most Australians get their water from the public system at relatively high cost and a sizeable proportion of it is used for utilitarian purposes, such as washing the car, doing laundry, flushing the toilet or cleaning. It would be far cheaper and more eco-friendly to harvest this water directly instead.

How It Works

There are a number of different systems available based on the installation of a tank at your property. These are specially made for the purpose and come with pumps and filters to help you get the most out of your collection. Usually, the water that falls onto the roof of your property is directed into the tank which may be placed above ground or sunk underneath. Compact filters are placed within the neck of the tank to filter out any grit, dirt or leaves and only allow clean water to enter. They are also equipped with a submersible pump, which helps to retrieve the water and direct it to various locations around the home.

Usually, the primary tank is also connected to the mains water supply, so you will never run out even when the rainwater tank is mostly empty. It's also important to install a valve so that there is no possibility of backflow into the mains system and most municipalities will insist on this.

Different Versions

If your tank works on a direct pressure basis, the pump inside will automatically start to run whenever a certain action is taken remotely, such as flushing the toilet. This system will automatically switch off once the cistern fills up and the pressure is restored to normal levels.

It's also possible to fit a header tank into the attic of a house, which is in turn serviced by the rainwater tank. In this case, the pump outside will push the water to the header tank as needed and if there is an insufficient amount within the rainwater tank, the mains water supply will take over as needed.

Kicking It off

Have a word with your supplier to see which type of system would work best in your house, so that you can start to make those savings as soon as possible.