FEATURES 29
Rainwater harvesting
By
Tanya Olckers
Rainwater harvesting is a solution that can bring a little extra to the services you already offer . While having a water tank is a great back up , it needs to be installed correctly . We take you through part one of this exciting topic .
The demand for rainwater harvesting solutions is rising . More clients are choosing to put some sort of water collection solution into place , and this demand for water tanks has risen steadily over the past two years .
Mzwakhe Mntambo , Managing Director at Burgess Plumbing , has watched this growth . “ More people are harvesting rainwater ” he says . “ It is a more affordable option compared to drilling a borehole . The water is easy to access as it comes straight off your roof .” Clients are always looking for ways to save a little money , and that ’ s just one reason they opt for rainwater harvesting .
“ Think about it ,” says Steve van Zyl , National Technical Manager at IOPSA , “ rainwater is free water . Instead of losing the water as runoff , you can utilise it .”
Van Zyl is a fan of rainwater harvesting and has implemented solutions at his own home . He believes that if enough people get involved with harvesting rainwater , it might take pressure off during times of excessive rain and flooding , and perhaps even mitigate the effects of river floods and overflows .
Africa Tanks
TANK SETUP
Rainwater harvesting components .
What does rainwater harvesting involve ? First , let ’ s begin with the difference between rainwater harvesting and water recycling . Penny Bowren from Africa Tanks sums it up perfectly : “ Rainwater harvesting involves collecting rainwater from rooftops and surfaces , filtering it to remove debris and storing it in tanks for later use in various applications , including irrigation and non-potable water needs . Water recycling focuses on treating and re-using water for
In addition , rainwater harvesting supplies some kind of non-drinkable back up water while municipalities work on improving service delivery .
The question is , where do you begin ? According to Mntambo , it starts with practical application . “ We begin by asking the client what specifically they want to use the harvested water for ” he says . “ That will guide us with what we can do . Then we talk about the available options , the placement of the tank and even the colour of the tank .”
This is where the available space on the property also comes into play . “ One of the biggest challenges is space and positioning ” he says . “ Sometimes what is practical for the space and what the client wants can be misaligned , so we have to guide them in that respect .”
An area ’ s rainfall is also an important point to consider at the beginning of the process . This would also provide a guideline for how many tanks may be required : areas that get generous rainfall could see the client installing multiple tanks , while drier areas may need fewer tanks .
Van Zyl recommends that once you have worked out what kind of rainfall your area gets , you can work out what kind of tank space you need . He recommends multiplying the square meterage of the roof where the tank is placed , in order to find how much water could be harvested in litres .
Plumbing Africa
Leaf catcher filter .
January 2024 Volume 29 I Number 11 www . plumbingafrica . co . za