Rainwater Collection / Havesting System

fearrchair

Hi all,

Has anyone got any information in installation a Rainwater collection system in Ireland ?

Who's doing it ?

Websites, costs or is it a get the pieces and to it yourself.

MazdaMan

Here is the principle of how it works
http://www.i4at.org/surv/raincat.htm

And here is a achool that are doing it
http://www.constructireland.ie/articles/0203ecoschools.php

Maybe contact the school and see which company they used to design their system.

Capt'n Midnight

B&Q and most hardware places do an adaptor that fits on the down pipe that carries rainwater off your roof. You'd also need a barrel - don't forget to put wire mesh over the top, under the lid to stop anyone falling in. An older couple were both killed in a freak accident down the country a few years ago.

Victor

Realisticly, for hygiene purposes, only expect to be able to use the water for flushing. Keeping debris like moss and leaves out of the water / filter is an issue. Ideally, place the tank as high as possible, which means hopefully that you won't need a pump.

MazdaMan

I was at the Building Exhibition in Puncheastown last weekend and got some info on a rainwater collection system, their website is below. However there does not appear to be any info on this system, but if you call them they will send you some info on it.

www.shaymurtagh.ie

As far as I remember they are going to be in the RDS this weekend at the building Exhibition there. Although you might want to confirm this with them.

BrianD

My parents put in a system last year. Involves a large underground tank in the back garden collecting run off from the roof. A pump and filter system transfers the collected rainwater to the tank in the attic. It automatically switches over to the main water source (a well) if the underground tank runs dry. It's obviously only for "non-potable" uses. I'll see if I can find the name of the installer.

BrianD

apparently it was a company called Waste Water Systems in Naas. The system is designed by a UK company and these guys install them. There is a filtration sysytem but the water is not drinkable (it goes through the cistern in the attic so you wouldn't be drinking that water in any case).

The problem my parents encountered was something easily remedied but took along time to identify - a guy from the U.K. had to come over in response to the issue being raised on a number of ocasions.

There is a sensor and electric valve fitted to the system. The sensor detects if the rainwater tank is low/empty and the valve switches over to the main water supply (and then back again as the rainwater tank replenishes). The valve is located in the attic. Unknown to the installer, the valve must be installed on a horizontal plane and not a vertical plane to function correctly. It wasn't and hence it didn't work properly.

Apart from this - now resolved issue - they are very happy with the system.

fearrchair

Thanks for all of the replies.

Does the Waste water treatment systems have a website by any chance ?

I came across a few sites however most of them are based in the UK.

One site which shows diagrams of the different setups etc is http://www.rainharvesting.co.uk/

jagcoyle

fearrchair wrote:

Hi all,

Has anyone got any information in installation a Rainwater collection system in Ireland ?

Who's doing it ?

Websites, costs or is it a get the pieces and to it yourself.

Hello there,

I'm the agent in Ireland for Rainharvesting Systems. They are a founder member of the rainharvesting association in the UK and offer a complete rainharvesting solution. If you visit www.rainharvesting.co.uk and click on the PRODUCTS tab. From there click "get a quote" on the right hand side of the page. Your enquiry will be sent to myself and we will be able to get you a quotation.

jagcoyle

Pataman

I got a quote of E4500 installed from www.bel.ie

Greenman

BTW
Here in Belgium since 2000 every new build has to have a 10,000 litre tank fitted in the ground to collect rain water. I have my gutters connected to a concrete tank at the side of the house. I use this water for watering the garden. People here also bore a hole in the ground and connect up a pump and use this for washing the car and watering the garden.

Since every house here has a water meter it makes you think about your water use by hitting you in the pocket, in good old Ireland whether you use a litre or a million you pay the same, I wonder when every house in Ireland will have a water meter???

CJhaughey

Water is still free in Dublin, but out in the sticks we pay for connection and sometimes a metered supply.
I have installed watersaving taps and toilets in my newbuild.

Pataman

Greenman wrote:

BTW
Here in Belgium since 2000 every new build has to have a 10,000 litre tank fitted in the ground to collect rain water. I have my gutters connected to a concrete tank at the side of the house. I use this water for watering the garden. People here also bore a hole in the ground and connect up a pump and use this for washing the car and watering the garden.

Since every house here has a water meter it makes you think about your water use by hitting you in the pocket, in good old Ireland whether you use a litre or a million you pay the same, I wonder when every house in Ireland will have a water meter???

How much does the system cost in Belgium?

Victor

Greenman wrote:

I wonder when every house in Ireland will have a water meter???

All new houses have meters fitted for the last few years and any mains repalcement has new meters fitted also.

Meters are useful not only for billing, but also detecting wastage, e.g. if a small cottage is using 10 times the water of a B&B, you know theres a leak.

CJhaughey

You mean all new houses in Dublin?
My house certainly hasn't and it is only 6mths old

Greenman

Victor wrote:

All new houses have meters fitted for the last few years and any mains repalcement has new meters fitted also.

But are these people billed by the cubic meter???

Greenman

Pataman wrote:

How much does the system cost in Belgium?

Which system?? If you are referring to the new buld, I'll let you know!!!

Victor

CJhaughey wrote:

You mean all new houses in Dublin?
My house certainly hasn't and it is only 6mths old

Its likely to be on the footpath.

Greenman wrote:

But are these people billed by the cubic meter???

No, at the moment its free. Councils are gradually installing the meters and I can't imagine them billing people until a sufficient number of people have meters. At the same time they can't install a million meters "just like that".

CJhaughey

No, I have no footpath and seeing as I laid the 3/4" HG pipe right up to the road there ain't no place for a meter to go.

Victor

Who did the connection? (Only councils are meant to do connections unless you council has a list of licenced contractors).

Greenman

Pataman wrote:

How much does the system cost in Belgium?

Got some prices but more research to do, so here goes.

A 10,000 litre concrete tank is about 500 euro.

A DAB pump with filter 300 euro.

This will work well with your toilet, if you fit another type of filter you can use the water in your washing machine.

Another thing people do here is bore say a 15 meter bore hole and you have water for life. A local guy will do it including pipe and filter for 300 euro, you might get it cheaper, the bore hole is illegal but a blind eye is turned!!!

Hope this info is of some use!!!

Finally people are motivated by cost ie the metering of water and the thought that drinkable water is used to flush your toilet and wash your clothes.

CJhaughey

The council connected me.