The concept of recycling rainwater for non-portable uses, such as flushing toilets. washing clothes or vehicles or irrigating the garden is firmly on the uk builidng agenda.  Within a few years, every Uk new-build domestic house will have to have rainwater harvesting equipment installed to achieve the requirements for water usage laid down for levels 5 and 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes .

The code requires mains water usage to be restricted to 80 litres per day by 2014 for public sector housing and by 2016 for private sector housing.  Conservation of water stocks is also now a priority for commerical and educational buildings.  All these targets will be impossible to achieve without the use of rainwater harvesting equipment, allied to other water-saving devices, such as water efficient washing machines, aerated taps and also, potentially greywater recycling equipment.

The  good news for plumbers is that rainwater harvesting systems must be installed and maintained by a qualified plumber, which will create significant opportuities going forward. So how do they work ? The vast majority of rainwater harvesting systems collect their rainwater from roofs.  Rainwater runs down the guttering and downpipes before passing through a filter which removed the leaves and debris before passing into an underground tank.  The water is then conveyed t appliances, either direct via a header tank or through a booster system.  Compile with the Brisith standard BS58151 means a system meets minimum standards and addresses any concerns about the possibility of cross-containmantion of mains drinking water with rainwater.

 Installation Made Easy

The water Regulations Advisory Service (Wras) publishes regualtions specifically for reclaimed water systems (visit the website at www.wras.co.uk).  Many of the regulations revolve around two principle requirements for rainwater harvesting to comply with.

1. Marking and colour coding of the plumbing system to insure that pipes carrying rainwater are not tapped into in future to satisy potable water requirements

2. The requirement for an air gap in the systems, which is necessary to avoid any cross-contamination between the rain and main water supplies.

The actual installation of the Envireau Rainwater Harvesting System will be a simple task for a competent plumber.  All of the non-standard, specialist parts are supplied in the package, with all of the other required componenets being industry standard fittings and pipework.

A correctly installed system will require very little maintance with inspection of the three filters (pre-tank, pump and control panel) needed periodically