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
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
Thommi schrieb:
Hello, from an ecological perspective, there is actually no objection to such a system. However, if you want to save money with it, the bottom line is not very promising. First, you have to calculate the costs for 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, which is necessary because wastewater charges are calculated based on that. Additionally, there are electricity costs for the pump. You also have to consider how many people live in the house and how long they are present during the day.
Regards, ThommiI assume that someone planning something like this is more concerned with the environmental benefits than the costs.
Hellboy
Hello friend of the rainy wet,
Using rainwater is a great option that, in my opinion, offers more advantages despite not being financially profitable in a strict sense.
Savings come only from the portion of potable water consumption replaced by rainwater. Sewer fees remain mostly the same, except for the share used in the garden that infiltrates into the ground. On the other hand, there are several additional costs, starting with the purchase, higher expenses for separate piping completely separated from the drinking water system including a refill device, extra electricity costs (although minor), additional water meters (the cost for purchasing two units), and so on.
However, many municipalities offer financial subsidies for the installation and use of such rainwater harvesting systems. There will be certain requirements to meet, so it is best to check with the local building authority / planning department of your town or city beforehand. The amount of these subsidies varies regionally.
We use such a system ourselves for flushing toilets, running the washing machine, naturally for garden irrigation, and to fill our small swimming pond (10,000 liters (2,640 gallons) capacity). Of course, rainwater is not as clean as potable water, and the filters need to be cleaned occasionally. The cistern should also be cleaned every few years, ideally after an extended dry period. Sometimes there are slight grayish traces in the toilet that disappear on their own and do not bother me at all. This way, no valuable drinking water is wasted. Since rainwater practically contains no limescale, you need less detergent, no fabric softener, and the washing machine is protected against scaling.
The cistern should be large enough, though. The required size depends on the number of occupants and the size of the garden to be irrigated, considering that plants and especially lawns can be pampered too much (leading to shallow root growth with excessive watering). Ours has a capacity of nearly 13,000 liters (3,440 gallons), but our garden is almost 3,000 square meters (32,300 square feet). Even after 8 weeks of drought, about 2,000 liters (530 gallons) remained. That was the right time for cleaning. For a typical single-family house (4 persons) with an average plot size, a cistern of about 6,000 to 8,000 liters (1,585 to 2,113 gallons) should be sufficient. Precast concrete cisterns, which look like a huge bucket with a lid and access hatch on top, are probably the most cost-effective solution.
Overall, I am very glad I made the decision in favor of rainwater harvesting back then.
Best regards
Danton
Engineering and Planning Office
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Brandenburg
Consulting Engineer and Building Surveyor
Insurance Specialist (Construction Contracts)
Using rainwater is a great option that, in my opinion, offers more advantages despite not being financially profitable in a strict sense.
Savings come only from the portion of potable water consumption replaced by rainwater. Sewer fees remain mostly the same, except for the share used in the garden that infiltrates into the ground. On the other hand, there are several additional costs, starting with the purchase, higher expenses for separate piping completely separated from the drinking water system including a refill device, extra electricity costs (although minor), additional water meters (the cost for purchasing two units), and so on.
However, many municipalities offer financial subsidies for the installation and use of such rainwater harvesting systems. There will be certain requirements to meet, so it is best to check with the local building authority / planning department of your town or city beforehand. The amount of these subsidies varies regionally.
We use such a system ourselves for flushing toilets, running the washing machine, naturally for garden irrigation, and to fill our small swimming pond (10,000 liters (2,640 gallons) capacity). Of course, rainwater is not as clean as potable water, and the filters need to be cleaned occasionally. The cistern should also be cleaned every few years, ideally after an extended dry period. Sometimes there are slight grayish traces in the toilet that disappear on their own and do not bother me at all. This way, no valuable drinking water is wasted. Since rainwater practically contains no limescale, you need less detergent, no fabric softener, and the washing machine is protected against scaling.
The cistern should be large enough, though. The required size depends on the number of occupants and the size of the garden to be irrigated, considering that plants and especially lawns can be pampered too much (leading to shallow root growth with excessive watering). Ours has a capacity of nearly 13,000 liters (3,440 gallons), but our garden is almost 3,000 square meters (32,300 square feet). Even after 8 weeks of drought, about 2,000 liters (530 gallons) remained. That was the right time for cleaning. For a typical single-family house (4 persons) with an average plot size, a cistern of about 6,000 to 8,000 liters (1,585 to 2,113 gallons) should be sufficient. Precast concrete cisterns, which look like a huge bucket with a lid and access hatch on top, are probably the most cost-effective solution.
Overall, I am very glad I made the decision in favor of rainwater harvesting back then.
Best regards
Danton
Engineering and Planning Office
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Brandenburg
Consulting Engineer and Building Surveyor
Insurance Specialist (Construction Contracts)
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