When you decide to install a rainwater harvesting system at your premises, there are several questions that could creep up. Though the rainwater harvesting systems are not complex in design and are also easy to install, there are some perplexing pre-installation factors that need to be clarified. The professional rainwater consultants, being trained and experienced in their field, can help you in understanding the structural and functional mathematics being involved in designing and installing a rainwater harvesting system.
Installation of rainwater harvesting system has been made mandatory by certain Indian states; for other states, the people are feeling socially obligated to have a rainwater harvesting system installed in their premises. And why not! The practice of harvesting rain is highly beneficial, for the increasing demand for water for the ever-increasing population and for the conservation of the environment.
The design of a rainwater harvesting system is fairly simple. For most of the premises and even countries, the components and design are more or less similar. The only change lies in its structuring, its measurements and the use of materials for the components. Deciding over these on your own may become a little complicated since it requires certain expert understanding and calculations. For this purpose, hiring a professional rainwater consultant would be the best option.
Factors to consider while putting up a rainwater harvesting system
The need for hiring a professional rainwater consultant can be greatly understood by the complexity of decisions and factors required for consideration, in the event of installing a rainwater harvesting system. Here is a glimpse of those factors:
1) Tank Size
The size of the water storage tank is of high importance. Though it may seem simple, the decision can only be taken after making certain additional considerations such as the size of the building, location, annual rainfall, demand of the premises, budget, for how long the tank will only be partly full, etc.
2) Appropriateness of the tank for the property
The rainwater harvesting tanks are classified on the basis of material used and installation mode. The neighbourhood may also impose limitations on what sort of tank can be used. For example, on an industrial site, the above-ground tanks can be a matter of concern.
3) Size of the roof or catchment areas
The whole rainwater harvesting system revolves around this one factor- the size of the catchment area. The size of gutters, the capacity of the water tank, the system of pipes, and everything else will be planned once the size of roof or catchment area is determined.
4) Tank Location
Installing a tank at the appropriate location is important to have a well-connected system and uninterrupted supply of stored water. The roof void of a building is considered to be the ideal location to place rainwater harvesting tanks, but this is usually impossible, as in such a case, the guttering would generally be located below the level of the tank. Also, the weight of the tank may pose additional problems. Another difficult decision is regarding the placement of the tank- above-ground or underground. This requires considering additional factors such as weather conditions of the place.
5) Filter Unit and Tank Levels
Level of rainwater through the filter unit and the tank itself has an impact on the downstream drainage system, which is again, a vital consideration for installation of the RWH system. Hence, it must be considered carefully.
6) The potential demand
The intention of rainwater is to provide an incessant water supply for the occupants. Hence, the potential is another substantial factor. The potential occupancy of a building is the key here. While insufficient water storage for higher demand is a problem, similarly, having a large storage capacity with only minimal water level to provide supply to, say, 5 or 6 people, is again a wastage of resources.
7) Consider future demand
The design of the rainwater harvesting system must keep scope for the future enhancements, based on the increasing or decreasing demand for water supply, in the future.
8) The Overall Drainage Scheme
If the drainage system of a site is intended to meet a peak discharge limit, the rainwater harvesting tank must be designed accordingly. Also, in a household, the structure of sewer pipes must be studied to avoid any collision with the rainwater harvesting conduit system.
For the aforementioned factors, a bespoke solution is required, for your rainwater harvesting needs. A rainwater consultant is what you need, to guide you with the best solution.
What do rainwater consultants do?
Rainwater consultants are the experienced professionals, who have expertise in different aspects of rainwater and its harvesting. Whether your rainwater harvesting project is meant for a large area of agricultural land or your industry premises or home, they will take on basic inputs to know the specification of the system in need.
Referring to the aforementioned factors, the team of engineers will carry out surveys and prepare the reports for the final design. The vitals are identified such as groundwater aquifer investigation, average rainfall calculation, technical data analysis, technical feasibility studies, location analysis, etc. The process involves planning, designing, implementation and completion.
Following are the usual services provided by rainwater consulting companies:
- Preparing rainwater harvesting reports
- Designing rainwater harvesting layout
- Designing detailed engineering drawings
- Conducting Hydrogeological survey
- Conducting Borewell survey
- Providing a Feasibility Report
- Water distribution systems
- Recycling of treated water for non-potable applications
- Tank designing
The companies can also help with acquiring the system’s material and physical components. They also offer maintenance, repairing and up-gradation services.
The need for a Rainwater Consultant
The rainwater consultants can give you a more viable picture for your intended rainwater harvesting system. The rainwater consultancy services can help you in reducing water expenses and solving water problems. There are more reasons why it is a better idea to consult a rainwater consultant:
- They have industry experience with different case studies, so they can give you more feasible solutions.
- They are acquainted with the checklist to carry out feasibility survey hence they know exactly what to ask you and what to look for.
- You will need a licensed consulting company to provide you with engineering drawings and survey reports so that you can acquire government authorization for the installation of a rainwater harvesting system.
- They can provide you accurate measurements of the rainwater harvesting system, for your type of premises. This will reduce the probability of design fails and wastage of resources.
- They have experience of handling the system requirements on large scales such as in residential societies, hotels, agricultural sector, shopping complexes, etc.
Chaitanya – Rainwater Products & Consultancy Services
The name Chaitanya is now an established tradename, dealing in the rainwater harvesting products and rainwater consultancy services. Our team comprises of survey engineers, rainwater consultants, RWH system installation & maintenance staff. We are known for our timely services and latest technology products. We carry an extensive experience for installing and maintaining RWH systems in individual households, huge-occupancy residential societies, factories with the brand name, industrial sites of major locomotive brands and agriculture farms.