Rainwater Harvesting

[Megawatt]

Now that my property has been recently connected to mains drainage and I am contemplating converting my old concrete septic tank (cleaned out now and in good order) into a rainwater harvesting storage tank. I intend to use a 12V caravan type water pump (run from solar panels) to pump the clean rainwater into my toilet cistern. I would like to know if anyone else has done something like this and their experiences.

[Jimbo]

I will probably be corrected on this but I seem to remember a while back hearing that all water that falls from the sky belongs to the water board and you can't collect and use it with the exception of using it for irregation. You should probably check that out before going to any expence, I think you local water board would make you remove it all.

[FatherJack]

W T F ?

[Jimbo]

:o W T F ?

Useful input

[Megawatt]

Jimbo,
Thanks for your input but I think a lot of things that people remember having heard turn out to be wrong. Like "It saves electricity to leave your computer on all the time because of the surge when you turn it back on".

There is, as far as I know, nothing to stop people legally collecting and using the rainwater that falls on their roof. Please prove me wrong if you can. After all, many people have water butts. I think that using rainwater for flushing toilets, washing the car, etc are sensible things to do. All I'm thinking of really is an underground water butt. I do realise that the construction would need to comply with the building regulations but since the tank is already there, I can't see a problem in that respect. There is an emphasis in the building regs on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems. these prevent sudden run-off causing the floods like we've had recently in the UK.

[Sebby]

Collecting and keeping rainwater in the USA is illegal, however... here in the UK it is not illegal.

[Neil B]

We have just introduced Rainwater Harvesting products onto our website.

Check the links below, I hope you will find them of interest:

Sustainable Drainage and Rainwater Management

Rainwater Harvesting and Water Storage Systems

[shedfull]

hi as far as i am aware the water companies will give you a discount off the drainage part of your bill aslong as all your rainwater is collected, plus you will save on your bill if your on meter