ᐅ Using Rainwater for the Home?!

Hello everyone,

I think rainwater could definitely be used safely and effectively for the house. Using it as non-potable water for toilet flushing or for the washing machine would be ideal. Are there already systems available that treat the water for this purpose?

See you, Ganurin

Such systems are already available for purchase; I once saw a report that presented this. Rainwater is collected from the gutter into a tank and then treated; this is a great solution for the environment.

Ganurin schrieb:
Hello everyone,

I think rainwater could definitely be used effectively in the house. It would be ideal as non-potable water for toilet flushing or for the washing machine. Are there already systems that treat the water for this purpose?

See you, Ganurin

Sure, there are rainwater tanks that can treat the water accordingly (built-in filtration systems) and distribute it within the house; or you can use it for your garden.

I asked the architect a few days ago about the best way to use rainwater—whether for the garden, toilet flushing, washing machine, etc.

He said he has a system like that himself and uses it for the toilet and plants—but not for the washing machine!

Of course, I asked why, because rainwater is very soft, which saves on detergent and so on...

He told me that although they have filters installed, the water is still NOT completely clean. He said that if they are on vacation and the water in the toilet sits for a while, when they return there’s always a kind of film on the toilet water...

I don’t know if he has a bad filtration system in his tank or if this is generally the case.

I think, just to be safe, I would avoid using it for the washing machine... but for the garden and toilet, it’s an ideal idea.

You need to calculate your own demand, and then you can determine the size of the tank.

Try searching in your preferred search engine for keywords like rainwater tank or rainwater harvesting.

Regards,
Honigkuchen

That's a great idea, and if I had the chance, I would do it too. Just thinking about how much drinking water is used just for flushing the toilet, it’s clearly the better solution.

The use of rainwater is becoming very popular, and I think that's a great development. Especially for the toilet, it really is a waste to use drinking water for that purpose.

Best regards, Locher

Hello, from an ecological perspective, there is basically nothing against such a system. However, if you want to save money with it, the overall benefit is usually quite limited. First, you have to consider the costs of the entire system. If you build without a basement, the cistern has to be buried outside. This also means that everything must be frost-proof or only used during frost-free periods. Then there is the fee for the second water meter. You need this because wastewater charges are calculated based on it. Additionally, there are electricity costs for the pump. Finally, you also need to consider how many people live in the house and how long they are present during the day.
Regards, Thommi