Rainwater Harvesting

« **on:** August 30, 2008, 01:35:34 pm »

There is a debate about rainwater harvesting please give your honest answer.

« **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2008, 01:37:42 pm »

If you can find a way of transfering your harvested water to your production unit without usin electrical pumps then maybe, the minute you bring electricity into the equation , i doubt you would be as efficient as the water company harvesting the water for you

« **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2008, 01:39:14 pm »

You just don't get it. Yes rainwater harvesting is eco friendly but it doesn't outweigh all the other factors.

« **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2008, 01:41:56 pm »

Lets see what the poll comes back with because we all cant be wrong.

And like i said if im wrong i will shut up and run down my worst custys street b*LL*ck naked.

« **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2008, 01:45:47 pm »

Quote from: Roger Slater on August 30, 2008, 01:35:34 pm

There is a debate about rainwater harvesting please give your honest answer.

Although I'll be doing this myself in a few weeks I dont think its really eco friendly (its friendly to my wallet thats for sure!).

It could be an interesting thing to add to your website and leaflets. Its gives the impression of being 'green' without actually being 'green' if you get what I'm saying.

If you were using a trolley system and 'walked your round' and harvested rainwater then I reckon you could really sell yourself big time as being carbon neutral.

Using a van to pull that water about is the big sticking point.

« **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2008, 01:47:09 pm »

harvesting i feel is better than using your tap water, as rain never really goes above 010 ppm, so you can just use di which would last for ages. and no waste

not really eco friendly i suppose just better for the user

« **Reply #6 on:** August 30, 2008, 01:49:39 pm »

I suppose you could go DI only with rain water.

« **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2008, 02:00:01 pm »

Quote from: WCE on August 30, 2008, 01:49:39 pm

I suppose you could go DI only with rain water.

of course you can, this is what i plan to do

« **Reply #8 on:** August 30, 2008, 02:32:32 pm »

All the water companies do is harvest rainwater one way or another themselves.

If you mean collecting it yourself then its very hard to do without wasting time and effort and becoming less eco friendly than just getting it out of a tap.

The trouble is it doesn't rain to order so you have to store it and probably transport it. Its a nice idea but we are not short of water in this country.

« **Reply #9 on:** August 30, 2008, 11:42:16 pm »

The rain water off my roof is about 004. Rainwater caught directly is 000.

I see no reason why smaller operators couldn't be almost completely self-sufficient in rainwater by asking like-minded friends and neighbours to collect water directly from their roofs.

Larger operators could probably make agreements with factories and other very large buildings to collect rainwater and store it and transport it.

(I'm sure that the local schools would be very willing to participate in such a project. It would be very eduactional for the kids as well as good publicity for the schools themselves.)

Being eco-friendly isn't just about energy use. It's quite a complex issue.

Water companies use vast amounts of energy to transport water around the country and also use vast amounts of energy and chemicals to treat it.

Directly harvested rain water has none of these energy costs associated and is hence much greener.

« **Reply #10 on:** August 30, 2008, 11:44:02 pm »

Quote from: Wally the Window Washer on August 30, 2008, 11:42:16 pm

The rain water off my roof is about 004. Rainwater caught directly is 000.

I see no reason why smaller operators couldn't be almost completely self-sufficient in rainwater by asking like-minded friends and neighbours to collect water directly from their roofs.

Larger operators could probably make agreements with factories and other very large buildings to collect rainwater and store it and transport it.

(I'm sure that the local schools would be very willing to participate in such a project. It would be very eduactional for the kids as well as good publicity for the schools themselves.)

Thank you somebody actually gets it.

Being eco-friendly isn't just about energy use. It's quite a complex issue.

Water companies use vast amounts of energy to transport water around the country and also use vast amounts of energy and chemicals to treat it.

Directly harvested rain water has none of these energy costs associated and is hence much greener.

« **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2008, 12:11:06 am »

Roger, I think you are being a little bit disingeneous with your question.

If you ask " is rainwater harvesting eco friendly" then the answer is prob yes.

but If you ask "does rain water harvesting make window cleaning more eco friendly when used with wfp" then the answer is pretty definetley no.

As has been stated before on both threads the transport is an issue as is the manufactur and shipping of the equipment and the manufacturing of the plastic storage tanks is as eco unfriendly as could be.

Can you not just accept that there isnt a simple yes or no answer.

By the way I harvest rain water for use in w/c but mainly to prepare for water charges and for a ready supply of relatively clean water as I am in a very high tds area. I am not averse to throwing out the old eco argument when I think it will help me sell a job but to be honest I know it's codswallop.

« **Reply #12 on:** November 16, 2008, 01:13:12 pm »

Quote from: LWC on August 30, 2008, 02:00:01 pm

Quote from: WCE on August 30, 2008, 01:49:39 pm
I suppose you could go DI only with rain water.

of course you can, this is what i plan to do

hi lwc

just wondered if you have gone down this route yet.

and how are you getting on with it?

mike

« **Reply #13 on:** November 16, 2008, 05:07:01 pm »

If they designed buildings so that the water that came off the roof, and was channeled to run down the windows, wow that could be really echo friendly. No need for window cleaners tearing round in vans and burning our ever depleting oil stocks.

« **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2008, 05:44:29 pm »

hi,before I turfed our lawn I dug channels filled with stones/sand & these drain into 4 200 liter tubs under the shed. I've not been ready to utilize the water for wfp yet but hopefully by spring. I'll let you know.
But I notice that all seem to agree it's the transport which is ungreen. Well I'm in the middle of constucting a trailer with roman 2000 gpd, generator & pump. I hope to make enough water in 3 hours, from either site supply or standpipe. Anybody had joy with standpipes?
Kevin j.

« **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2008, 06:00:54 pm »

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=14941.0 here you go Kev fill your boots, it took ages to find.

« **Reply #16 on:** November 16, 2008, 07:23:02 pm »

Quote from: Jeff Brimble on November 16, 2008, 06:00:54 pm

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=14941.0 here you go Kev fill your boots, it took ages to find.

cheers jeff ,that was good reading

mike

« **Reply #17 on:** November 16, 2008, 07:55:44 pm »

Quote from: Jeff Brimble on November 16, 2008, 06:00:54 pm

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=14941.0 here you go Kev fill your boots, it took ages to find.

Aye, thanks Jeff! Well interesting. I hope to leave trailer all day somewhere central & trip back with the quad. Interesting to see I might not need the jenny & pump!
How do you get to use such low quantities?

Thanks kevin j.

« **Reply #18 on:** November 16, 2008, 09:00:59 pm »

Its an art and a science

« **Reply #19 on:** November 16, 2008, 09:51:10 pm »

seriously, a full day on less than 100 liters? Can be your slave for a day?
Kevin j.

Poll

Who thinks rainwater harvesting is Eco Friendly