Rainwater Harvesting, Water Reuse and Greywater Recycling

Rainwater harvesting is an environmentally friendly process that focuses on capturing, harvesting and then recycling as much rainwater as possible for re-use that would otherwise be lost down drains when it rains.

The most obvious example of rainwater harvesting is when one fits a diverter to a surface water drainpipe so that the rainwater run-off is collected in a water butt or other water storage tank, rather than simply being allowed to discharge to the drain.

To increase the capacity of such a rainwater collection system in larger scale commercial or industrial situations it is also possible to join several water butts or water storage tanks together so once the first one is full, the rain continues to overflow into the second one, and the third etc.

Larger scale commercial rain water storage tanks are now also available which are usually located below ground.

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater can be harvested in a number of situations including at home, in the garden, at work, on farms, from warehouse buildings, carparks etc.

The amount harvested will depend on the size of the roof or run-off area and the amount of rain a particular area will typically get over the course of a year.

However, a significant amount of water can be collected for re-use simply by installing a rainwater harvesting or greywater re-use system at home or at work.

Most modern buildings have guttering and drainpipes already installed when they are built.

Although in the case of sheds, greenhouses and similar buildings this may not be the case.

However it is usually possible to retro-fit gutters, downpipes and the like to such buildings.

The rainwater run-off can then be collected and directed into suitable storage tanks and reservoirs if larger volumes can be collected that make water butts too small for the purpose.

Cost & Environmental Benefits of Water Reuse

The cost of installing a rainwater harvesting system can amount to several thousand pounds in the case of a business.

However this will be reaped back in lower water bills, wastewater and effluent charges, since water meters are now prevalent across much of the UK.

The water collected as part of the rainwater harvesting process can be used for a wide variety of purposes including flushing toilets, washing clothes, irrigating crops, watering the garden and even industrial processes.

However always remember that it should not be used as drinking water.

The benefits to the environment of harvesting rainwater are significant with a typical domestic system capable of reducing the amount of mains water used in the home by up to 50%.

World Class Energy Saving, Water Harvesting & Water Reuse Solutions

Water Treatment Services are a leading independent UK water management company offering a range of rainwater harvesting, environmentally friendly energy saving and engineering support solutions.

With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained environmental engineers, in-field service specialists and technical experts we can offer industrial water treatment, effluent management and energy solutions across the UK.

Contact us today to learn how our eco-friendly energy solutions can help you improve your environmental performance, rainwater harvesting, water reuse and greywater recycling processes, and reduce your energy, water and effluent discharge costs… contact us →