Rainwater Harvesting Systems at Urban Schools and Buildings

Rainwater harvesting in urban buildings involves collecting and storing rainwater for various uses, such as landscape irrigation, flushing toilets, and even for non-potable indoor uses with proper treatment. We have successfully carried out multiple projects in urban schools to collect rainwater from room catchments and then to filter and convert them intodrinking water.

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Steps to achieve rainwater harvesting in urban buildings with catchments

Assessment of Catchment Area:

• Identify and assess the catchment area, which is the surface that directly receives rainfall. This can include roofs, balconies, and other impermeable surfaces.
• Calculate the potential amount of rainwater that can be harvested based on the catchment area and average rainfall in the region.

Installation of Gutters and Downspouts:

• Install gutters along the edges of roofs to collect rainwater.
• Use downspouts to direct the collected rainwater from the gutters to the storage system.

Filtration and First Flush Diverter:

• Install a first flush diverter to divert the initial portion of rainwater, which may contain contaminants, away from the storage system.
• Use ridimentary mesh wire filters to remove debris, leaves, and other impurities from the collected , running rainwater.

Storage Tanks or Cisterns:

• Install storage tanks or cisterns to store the filtered rainwater. The size of the storage system depends on the demand for water and the available space.
• Tanks should be made of materials suitable for water storage, such as polyethylene or concrete, and should be covered to prevent contamination.

Pump and Distribution System:

• Use a pump and distribution system to supply harvested rainwater to the intended end-use areas.
• Use a filter to purify the water before being put to use, if it is used for human consumption.
• Install an overflow system to redirect excess water when the storage capacity is reached.

Water Treatment (Optional):

• Depending on the intended use, consider water treatment methods. For non-potable uses like irrigation, simple filtration may be sufficient. If considering potable uses, additional treatment, such as UV, sterilization or ultrafiltration, along with active carbon treatment to make the water aesthetically pleasing, may be necessary.

Plumbing Integration:

• Integrate the rainwater harvesting system with the building's plumbing system to allow for the use of harvested rainwater where applicable.
• Ensure that plumbing codes and regulations are followed to maintain water quality and safety standards.

Regular Maintenance:

• Regularly inspect and clean gutters, filters, and storage tanks to ensure the system's efficiency. This is done best by the client with their existing staff, as it is non technical in nature.
• Check for any signs of leaks, damage, or contamination.

Educate and Involve Residents:

• Educate building residents on the benefits of rainwater harvesting and encourage responsible water use.
• Involve residents in the maintenance and monitoring of the rainwater harvesting system.

Compliance with Local Regulations:

• Check and comply with local regulations and building codes related to rainwater harvesting.
• Obtain necessary permits and approvals from local authorities.

Implementing rainwater harvesting in urban buildings contributes to water conservation, reduces stormwater runoff, and can lower dependence on municipal water supplies. Additionally, it promotes sustainable practices in urban environments.

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Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Micro Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Suitable for houses, flats, apartments, bungalows, farm houses, factories, workshops, guesthouses, hotels, camps, hill stations and cities with heavy rainfall like Bangalore or Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune etc.

Now, for the first time, you can collect rainwater flowing from overhead sheds, rainwater pipes etc., and filter them for daily use, like washing, cleaning, wiping floors, bathroom and toilet needs, bathing, and even cooking that requires boiling. Nominal output will be at the rate of 100 Liters per hour.

The Parashu® micro and mini rain water harvesting systems are simple, inexpensive, easy to install and maintain systems that can be used by almost everyone. These consumes very little power, as it employs a 24 volt pump to do all the hard work.

Check the diagrams below:

Important Steps:

• Pour rainwater into the bucket or drum given in the left.
• Push the input pipe into the input of the pump, the output pipe to the output of the pump, whose other end will go into the input of the cartridge housing. You might like to fix the cartridge to the wall, or leave it as it is.
• Place the pump on floor, or on something higher, like a stool.
• Fill the input pipe of the pump with water and then immerse it in the bucket or drum.
• Put the electric connection to ON.
• Soon, after the cartridge housing fills up, you will have clean water coming out of the other end of the housing, which you can collect and start using.

NOTE:

• The input bucket or drum is not part of the package; you will need to arrange it.
• Care should be taken that the pump is not dry run, else pump may burn out.
• You can also choose to filter iron laden water to clean water when there is no rainfall.
• If flow reduces, then you will need to change cartridge, it can be done by hand.

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The Whole House Rain Water Harvesting system

This is a large scale system, capable of filling up overhead tanks with harvested water. Care should be taken that the harvested water doesn’t have leaves or paper or plastic, as it may clog your pump or filter. This can be achieved by putting in barbed wires or nets at the terrace mouth of rainwater pipes, or by fixing large net bags at the input of the tank, to catch large objects like leaves.

The first level acts as a catcher to the system, which captures rough grains, small seeds, escaped bits of leaves and twigs etc. The second level fully polishes the water at micron level, taking out fine sand particles, dirt and dust, making the water crystal clear and ready to use.

Thereafter, fix a 0.5 HP or 1 HP monoblock pump before the filter with help of a plumber, and you can directly use the water that comes out of the filter. Please note that pump, input tank, or plumbing work is not included in our package. You will need to arrange the same with a local plumber.

Check the diagram below: