Did you know that an average roof receives 900 liters of water for every cm of rain? Don't waste all that water. You can build a rainwater harvesting system and store hundreds of liters of water, which you can use for the garden or other purposes. Read this article to find out how to build a plant and start collecting rainwater.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Get Water Storage Bins
Step 1. Get one or more bins to store water
You can buy them online, but it can be cheaper to retrieve used ones from companies that use them for food or other products (just make sure to wash them thoroughly with soap and water). You can also turn a large plastic garbage can into a water tank. Look for bins with a capacity between 100 and 200 liters.
- If you opt for a used bin, make sure it does not contain hydrocarbons, pesticides or toxic substances of any kind. It is too difficult to permanently eliminate traces of these chemical contaminants from inside the bin, so their use is risky.
- If you plan to collect a large amount of water, get two or three bins. You can connect them together so that they form a single collection system, and thus have hundreds of liters of water.
Step 2. Gather the rest of the materials needed to turn the bins into a water collection system
The materials in question are easily found at home improvement or gardening stores. Take an inventory of what you already have in the house and get the following:
- 1 standard 1 "garden tap with ¾" connection (in the picture: "spigot"), which you will need to take the water from the bin.
- 1 ¾ "x ¾" connection (in the figure: "coupling")
- 1 ¾ "x ¾" bushing
- 1 ¾ "tap connector with 1" barrel connection (shown: "hose adapter")
- 1 ¾ "fixing nut (shown:" lock nut ")
- 4 metal gaskets (shown: "washers")
- 1 roll of Teflon tape to seal threads
- 1 tube of silicone sealant
- 1 "S" fitting for the downspout of the gutter (in the picture: "downspout elbow"), to bring the water from the downspout to your bin for collection
- 1 piece of aluminum window net or mosquito net (shown in the picture: "window screen"), to keep leaves, insects and other materials in place and prevent them from ending up in the water
- 4-6 concrete blocks
Method 2 of 4: Set up the Platform for the Bins
Step 1. Clear an area near a downspout
The downspout is a pipe that goes from the gutter on the roof down to the ground. You will need to redirect the downspout so that the water goes straight into your bin, so you need to set up a platform right nearby. Clean the area of rocks and other debris. If the ground is not level, take a spade and remove the excess soil until you have an area large enough to accommodate the number of bins to be installed.
- If the downspout drains onto a concrete or asphalt-covered surface such as a driveway or sloping yard, you can create a level surface for your bins by stacking plywood boards downstream.
- If your home has more than one downspout, place the bins under the one closest to the garden so you only need a shorter hose to water it.
Step 2. Roll out a layer of gravel
This will improve the drainage around the water bins and keep moisture away from the foundation of the house. In the previously leveled area, dig a rectangular pit a dozen centimeters deep and fill it with crushed stone with a grain size of around 12 mm.
Skip this step if the downspout drains onto a concrete or asphalt driveway or yard
Step 3. Place concrete blocks on the gravel bed
Arrange them to the side to create an elevated platform for your bins. Once completed, the platform needs to be wide and long enough to accommodate all your rainwater bins, well leveled and stable, so they can't tip over.
Method 3 of 4: Add the Faucet and the Overflow Valve
Step 1. Drill a hole for the tap on the side of the bin
It should be placed high enough that you can put a bucket or other similar container under it when you want to get water. Drill a ¾ hole, the size of the tap connection you got.
This is the standard size for taps; if you have a tap of a different size, the diameter of the hole will be different to correspond to the size of the tap
Step 2. Apply a round of sealant all around the hole
Put the sealant both inside and outside the bin.
Step 3. Install the faucet, using the appropriate attachment
Roll Teflon tape over the threads to seal them and prevent water leaks. Slip a gasket over the threaded portion of the attachment and pass it through the hole in the bin wall from the outside. Slip in another gasket from the inside. Secure everything with the fixing nut.
Read the assembly instructions attached to the purchased faucet. A different mounting method than the one described here may be specified
Step 4. Make an overflow valve
Make a second hole in the top of the side of the bin, a few fingers below the edge. The diameter of the hole must be ¾”as for the first hole. Smear a round of sealant around the hole, both inside and outside the bin. Slip a gasket over the threaded part of the garden hose attachment and pass it through the hole from the outside. Slip another gasket over the thread from the inside, add the retaining nut and tighten well. You can attach a length of gardening cane directly to the valve.
- If you have a second bin to add in cascade, you need to drill a third hole in the first bin. Make the hole at the same level as the tap, about a notch to the side. Then drill a ¾”hole in the second bin at the same height as the third hole in the first bin. Attach garden hose adapters into both of these holes, following the same directions as the overflow valve.
- If you are also using a third bin, the second bin will also need another hole to connect to the third bin. Add a second attack on the other side of the bin at the same level. Add an attack in the third bin as well.
Method 4 of 4: Mount the Collection System
Step 1. Connect the “S” joint to the downspout
To determine where to connect, place the bin in place on the platform next to the downspout. It must be close enough to the downspout that it can be connected to the joint. Make a mark on the downspout a couple of inches below the height of the collection bin. Apply the joint so that the water flows directly into the bin. Use a hacksaw to cut the downspout at the mark. Slip the joint on the downspout. Secure it with screws and make sure they are tight.
When taking steps to apply the joint, make sure that the end of the joint fits a good distance into the bin so that all the water is collected in it. Water must be prevented from falling into the bin from above
Step 2. Connect the bin to the joint
If the bin has a lid, use a hacksaw to cut out a hole large enough for the joint to pass through. Cover the hole and surrounding area with wire mesh.
Step 3. Place a filter at the mouth of the downspout on the gutter
The filter traps leaves and other debris that would otherwise flow down the drain and clog your rainwater collection system.
Step 4. Connect the additional bins
If you have more than one bin, place them on the platform and connect the valves together at the bottom using garden cane sections.
Advice
- You can prevent debris from falling into the gutters by covering them with wire mesh or with special protection grids, which retain the debris and let the water pass.
- Keep your gutters clean and free of debris at all times. Certain types of debris, such as maple seeds, can easily block even the best filters.
- You can search for used buckets and bins, both online and at shops, car washes, stables, farms, etc.
- Plastic joints for downspouts are very resistant.
- Collected rainwater is not drinkable, however it is the same water that rains on your lawn or garden in any case. If you intend to make it drinkable, boil it for 1 to 3 minutes (depending on the altitude you are at) to kill bacteria, parasites and viruses. Once cooled, pour the boiled water into a filter jug (such as Brita and similar brands), equipped with a new filter. According to the brand, the filter reduces the presence of heavy metals, chemicals and other contaminants to safe levels, at least for temporary use. You can also decide to use a steam distiller for the purpose of purifying the water to make it drinkable and suitable for cooking. Steam stills are more effective than filters at removing impurities.
Warnings
- Rainwater collected from the roof can also contain chemicals released from the materials from which the roof cover is made.
- Many areas of the earth receive "acid rain". The rain combines with sulfur compounds released by the combustion of coal and forms sulfuric acid. This is a global phenomenon. The pH of rain rises after the first five minutes during a downpour, and the molarity of acidic water is very low.
- Check with the municipal technical office that the installation of a rainwater collection system is allowed in the area where you live. In some locations, the collection and storage of water for any purpose is prohibited.
- Rainwater should never be drunk without having undergone adequate treatment, but it can be used directly to water plants, to wash clothes and the car, to fill the toilet flush etc.
