Why Rainwater Harvesting?

Harvesting rainwater dates back to around 4,000 years ago. Rain harvesting is considered a normal practice in many other countries as opposed to the exception in the U.S. However, rain harvesting is gaining in popularity nationally due to the inherent quality of rainwater and the interest in reducing the consumption of treated water and reducing stormwater run-off. Rainwater harvesting can play a major role in enhancing and protecting our natural resources and wetland areas protect the environment.

The advantages and benefits of rainwater collection are numerous:
1) The water collected is free, the only cost being the collection system and normal regular maintenance.
2) The zero hardness of rainwater, as opposed to tap water, can help prevent scale on appliances, equipment and hot-tubs extending their use and eliminating the need for water softeners and salts.
3) Rainwater is the superior choice for landscaping options.
4) Rainwater harvesting reduces flow to stormwater drains, reduces erosion and saves water and wetland resources.
5) Rainwater harvesting helps utilities reduce summer peak demand and delay extension of new water treatment plants.
6) It will reduce your water bill and it is the right thing to do!

Outdoor water demand peaks in the summer. Depending on the system, as much as 60% of summer household water demand can be attributed to irrigation demand!

What Rainwater Harvesting System is Best for Me?

A rainwater harvesting system is engineered to collect rainwater from commercial or private residence roofs by means of gutter based channels for storage.

A rainwater harvesting system can be as simple as a rain barrel at the end of your roof gutter downspout for house plant and garden watering. It can also be as complex as a full buried in-bed drip and spray irrigation system for fully landscaped properties and/or multi-use systems for large businesses, schools, campuses and subdivisions.

 Water Recycling Facts

A basic rule for sizing a rainwater harvesting system is that the volume of water to be captured and stored (the supply) should equal or exceed the volume of water to be used (demand). However, a Sustainable Irrigation & Landscaping installed  rainwater harvesting system allows any system design to be augmented with existing water supplies to ensure a constant supply of water to get you through the severest drought conditions. The goal is to ensure that your valuable landscape investment and the environment is always protected.

How Much Water Can be Captured?

Generally, approximately 0.62 gallons of rainwater per square foot of collection surface per one inch of rainfall can be collected, dependent on the efficiency of the roof structure and the collection system. That means for every 1000 sq.ft. of roof area, 620 gallons of water can be collected for every inch of rain or 6,200 gallons of water for a 10,000 square foot yard! Of course, the roofing materials, wind during a storm event, water bouncing off a roof and other variables will affect the collection rate. Generally, a collection rate of at least 85% is attainable for most structures.

A good rule is to size your collection rate by quarterly demand or annual rainfall projections. For example, the system could be designed to meet estimated demand for any 3-month period without rain or the annual estimated demand divided by 4. Another way is to calculate your irrigation demand, how much water do you use, and plan accordingly for the desired period of time that you estimate that you would not want to be without freely collected water.

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