Rainwater collection — 120 photos of options for creating a simple system with your own hands

Nowadays, water supply is used almost everywhere. This is quite convenient, but energy-consuming (if the water is pumping from its well) and the pleasure is not cheap (with a general water supply), especially in a private house.

There is an affordable alternative – the collection of heavy rainfall. On average, a person spends from 80 to 170 liters of water per day, not counting the expense of garden watering. Rainwater will significantly save costs, of course, in cases where there is no need for drinking water.

For example, it is more profitable to use rainwater for washing and cleaning, as well as for washing the car, draining toilets. What can we say about the benefits of such natural water for plants, because it is much softer than tap water.

Summary of the article:

The main thing that will be required is a suitable reservoir and a water pipe laid from it, as in the numerous photos of rainwater collection that are presented in our article. Additional filters may be needed if the dishes are supposed to be washed with water and used for hygiene purposes.

Elements of the water collection system

Gully. Usually plastic is used, but cast iron is also possible (grate, garbage collector and partition included). Drainpipes are connected to the rain receiver.

Water storage tank (placed under pipes on the surface or buried in the soil next to the dwelling). The material from which the tank is made must not oxidize water and have a certain degree of safety.

Preferably a container buried in the ground. It is more practical, the water is stored in a cooled state, which slows down the growth of bacteria. But, it is necessary to take into account the depth of groundwater passage and the degree of freezing of the soil in winter.

Pipeline. To get precipitation into the storage tank, and from it to the dwelling or to the garden, a pipeline is laid, from the outside it can be PVC products. Water is pumped into the house. Submersible pumps are usually used.

Water collection tanks

When installing a water pipe, the question often arises: what to collect water into? The material from which the tank is made can serve as a polymer, as the most resistant to various damage factors, containers made of galvanized steel, concrete, etc. are also possible.

The main properties of a suitable material are: its insolubility with water, the composition of water remains unchanged when interacting with it.

You can purchase a decorative tank that will not only be functional, but also look aesthetically pleasing.

It is unacceptable to use containers containing copper and zinc. The consequences of direct sunlight hitting the water storage can have a negative effect, this will cause a rapid growth of microorganisms.

Ideas for the Cathedral of water

Tanks for collecting and storing large volumes of water are not cheap. You can make alternative water tanks. They are most often located underground.

Here are some ideas for collecting water:

Place water storage tanks under drains, near the walls of the house. You can increase water reserves by attaching barrels to each other (create connecting vessels).

Make a container at the initial stage of construction, for example, dig in the basement of a garage. Or make a well of tires under the garage (preferably from KAMAZ tires).

Build a system focused on collecting rainwater from the garage. To do this, you will need: a chute for collecting water, a hose (hermetically attached to the water tank), a plumbing valve for the tank (which will close it when filling), a mechanical filter in front of the valve, a drainage pump with a float switch. Excess water will flow out of the gutter without getting inside the garage from the tank.

Dig a covered pit for water accumulation. You can cement it or dig in concrete rings. And a concrete lid on the bottom. This method will increase the durability of the tank.

Which planes are suitable for collecting water

Flat roofs are not designed to collect water or water from such roofs can be used for watering, washing floors. Water on such a roof collects in puddles, it cannot be effectively used for various purposes, especially hygienic ones. It is more accessible to collect water from the roof if it is tilted at least 8-10 degrees.

It is strongly not recommended to use precipitation from a roof made of materials containing copper, asbestos or lead. Clay tiles are considered environmentally friendly. Roofing iron, PVC are favorable for collecting rainwater.

The remaining elements of the catchment area should also not contain dangerous substances, suitable materials for them are stainless steel, plastic. It must be remembered – the larger the roof area, the more water will be collected in the end.

Creation of a rainwater drainage system

How to start the process of creating a drain installation? How to make a sewage system?

To set up an aboveground water collection system, you should start by calculating the location of the funnels, the length of the pipe, taking into account the slope of the gutter. You should also choose a storage tank of the desired volume. The ideal volume should not be less than 5% of the expected precipitation (the average precipitation level is displayed on the websites of local weather services), otherwise frequent overflow is possible.

Funnels and pipes are placed on the gutter, the distance between which should not exceed 10 m to avoid water flowing through the edge of the gutter and violating the integrity of the system.

It would be nice to estimate the amount of precipitation, think about what needs the water will go for, for how long it will last. You can install the container directly on the ground, or use a platform.

A pipe is connected to the water collection tank, through which water flows into it from the roof. PVC pipes for outdoor use are practical in operation.

Initial installation options are possible. Install the water tank first, then a pipeline runs up from it to the roof, or first a system of drains descends from above, and a tank is mounted under it.

For the installation of an underground water storage system, the drainage system remains the same, but the reservoir is located underground or in the basement of buildings. You should dig a hole that should be much larger than the tank itself. The bottom of the resulting pit should preferably be covered with sand for 20-30 cm.

Next, you need to place a water storage container in the pit, fill the free space around it with sand. At this stage, bring hoses or pipes into the barrel, place the pump. Cover the tank with a lid to avoid debris and evaporation of water.

The pump can be used submersible (installed at the top of the barrel) or centrifugal (located next to the tank, the lower the better). If you install a filter system, in pipes or in the tank itself, water can be used not only for technical, but also for domestic purposes.

To keep the catchment system in proper condition until spring, you need to drain all the water from the tank, dry the pump and move it indoors. Close the empty container tightly with a lid and bury it with sand.

Maintenance of the rainwater collection system

The drain should be cleaned of dirt and leaves from time to time. It is advisable to equip a metal grate with a drainage system coming from the roof. It is better to install such a mechanical filter, not on the neck of the drain, but in the place where it goes from vertical to inclined, on the way to the water storage tank.

If there has been no rain for a long time, during the first rain that has begun, it is necessary to disconnect the pipe from the tank so that it is properly washed. This action takes about an hour. Then the pipe is returned to its place and the water collection tank is filled.

It is necessary to change filters as they become dirty, periodically clean the grilles of mechanical filters, then the water will delight with its unusual purity.