What can I do to recycle my roof rainwater?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

If you are asking this question on behalf of Wyvale Garden centre then I think you could make the rainwater from your roofs help out with water saving. I read somewhere that Volkswagen in Germany build their roofs so that they collect rainwater and reuse it. The biggest problem is storage. It would be better if the rainwater was stored at a high level so that a pump isn't required, and with a large building such as Wyvale this could be possible. It might be possible to fix the tank to the gable end of the building just high enough to provide enough "fall" to provide enough presure to do what you wantit to do. You would need to filter it going into the storage tank and then filter it coming out. You could then use the rainwater for watering the plants and in the toilets. The system cannot be too complicated, you need some way to switch to the mains water when there is no water in the tank and then back again when there is water in the tank. It's not rocket science! I would contact VW and see what they do, ask about the system they use, or a good Plumbing company might help.

Source(s):

Building trade experience

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

The question was actually asked from a home perspective, but this poster has switched it to look at ways how the Wyevale garden centres could save rain water. Very interesting read. Good answer.

Answer 2

Put a trap on the downpipe and run into water butts.

Answer 3

Water butts placed at the bottom of all your down pipes is an old one,but this also helps alleviate the potential flooding of paved and concreted areas that are so popular in our gardens these days,,

Answer 4

Stain it put it in your pool if you have one. Strain it and use it to water your lawn of course you will need some pipes and a holding tank.

Answer 5

Please check this out:
http://www.the-alternative.org.uk

See: Project it

All info. is FREE to download.

Answer 6

Roof rainwater can be channeled into toilet cisterns, it can irrigate plants, it can also be used to generate small amounts of electricity with a water wheel. A water wheel can also be used to store energy in a flywheel. Building a flywheel causes less pollution than manufacturing batteries but how efficient is it when you factor in friction? Research is required here.

It can also be used for washing the car and the windows, fixtures and paving around the house.

When you think about it, we might be better off if it rained more!

Answer 7

I dont know if this will help because I dont know if you have rain barrels here..big wooden barrels. My mother and grandmother put them under the eaves of the house where the water was running off, to collect the water. They would then use it to water their gardens and flower beds when there wasnt any rain. Just a suggestion.

Answer 8

You could build a rain garden. They look great, add another room to your garden space. Here's how:
http://pondlady.com/Articles/raingarden.…

Answer 9

I live in town and I have to pay a waterbill and I LOVE gardening, so I put plastic garbage cans by downspouts and run off areas and water my flowers, and plants with it Works great and saves me money too............

Answer 10

use the draining water from your roof for gardening and store some in barrels so that you can use when theres no rain

Answer 11

i think in argos there is a section that says about economy stuff , get the tank which can collect the water, then perhaps buy a pump to pump out the water when needed. it basically attaches to your gutter.

Source(s):

i looked in catalogue

Answer 12

Hi, I've recently bought a Rainsmart introduced to me by my neighbour who was replacing his original device with this. Rainsmart is absolutely brilliant and has enabled me to position my water butts precisely where I want them. And it's so easy and efficient. Check our their web site on rainsmart.co.uk as it's a new product, I know that much. Good Luck, Jasmine

Answer 13

There are commercial systems which enable the collection and purification of run off water from house roofs so that it can be used for all domestic purposes.
I don't know if these are in use in the Northern Hemisphere, but they are certainly installed in New Zealand for houses without mains supplies.
The Kiwis also install sewage purification systems which use purified domestic sewage water for irrigating gardens by means of shallow-buried pipes.
Maybe you can find details on the web.

Answer 14

I've taken part in the installation of a rainwater system for a house. A large tank was buried in the drive way, rainwater ran into it, via the gully drains that the gutter down pipes ran into. An electric pump was used to then pump the water up to the house to feed 5 toilets, 3 outside taps and a few taps in the house. This to me, is flawed because your require electricity to make it work.

I'd love to install a system, that collect rainwater from the roof and feeds it straight into a large storage tank in the attic, to feed a toilet. I think it is possible, but you'd need to downsize from gutter down pipe to 15mm pipe to make it operate from a ball float valve, so you could control how much runs into the tank and then make the rainwater divert into the drains when the tank gets full. You'd also need to connect the pipework to a mains water supply, so you can run it on that, if the rainwater runs out.

Bear in mind, rainwater does stain toilets and does require basic maintenance as there will be a lot of filters and valves required.

Answer 15

fit a downspout, attach it to a water butt!

Answer 16

get a water butt to collect the water.....then in the summer when there is less rain, use the tap on the side of the water butt to fill a watering can and water your plants.
or you can use rain water in a toilet cistern, but to be honest i don't know how this works....

Answer 17

On a commercial scale in particular, you can buy water saving cells to put into the ground and form a reservoir.
Install a solar panel to drive a pump to raise it to a roof tank.
This can be done in larger private properties

Source(s):

http://www.wwuk.co.uk/
http://www.rainharvesting.co.uk/

Answer 18

use a rain but

Answer 19

Are you sure you want an answer to this question? I believe you are well aware of how to recycle roof rainwater but are using this site for free advertising!

Answer 20

I was luck enough to find a disused septic tank in my garden, I cleaned it out drilled holes between the 2 chambers and diverted my downpipes into it , I pump the water out in the summer to water the garden, so just look for an old septic tank!