How much for rainwater harvesting?

muffinman11

In the middle of planning a house a considering rain water harvesting as there so much rain water wasted that can be used around the home? have been looking at the systems such as the one that collects all rain in tank underground and pumps around house or the one that uses bath and shower water again for loo etc. does anyone know approximate prices on these things and does anyone have them?? house would be a 3-4 bedroom. thanks

sinnerboy

Ballparks only now ....

For a concrete rainwater collection tank ( size approx 3m * 2m *2m ) + pump to outlet use for gardening only - €5k

As above plus branch off to storage separate storage tank which is plumbed to provide water to toilets only + €2k approx

Costs only rise again if you wish to collect shower and sink wastes . Hard to say but I suppose an €1k would cover it - it depends on pipe runs and the resulting excavations for same .

Costs rise again if you wish to use your harvested water for anything other than flushing toilets . You need to include a filtration system which will require ongoing maintenance . I have not looked into this in € terms . My opinion is that this option is only for the really dedicated eco conscious person .

Audioslaven

I have been pricing a tank 11k liters with filters, uv, pump looking in the region of 5k

FergusD

Can I ask if you are drilling a well too? If so, maybe rainwater harvesting is an expensive unnecessary option. You can get/run a water softener far cheaper than you'd buy a rainwater harvesting system. This is my plan at the minute.

Fergus.

Mike2006

Hi,

I looked into this about 18 months ago when we were starting our planning process and decided against it.
Got a few quotes, all around the 5k mark.

I then said, right, if they introduce a water charge it will be max €200 per year. This equates to 25 yrs to pay for itself (not inculding running charges for pumps, UV etc..)... So having to purchase replacement filters, maintenance on pumps etc.. I reckoned that it would actually never pay for itself so decided against it.

One piece of advise I would give; if you do decide to go for it for Eco reasons etc.., then go for an Indirect system. The indirect system pumps the stored water to a storage tank in your attic and then distributes it around the toilets etc..
Direct system pumps from ground storage straight to toilets. If pump goes, you have no water toi toilets. Where as with the indirect system you can have a secondary, mains water supply to the storage tank in the attic and if your pump fails, you can use this instead.

Hope this makes sense!!

Mike.

ninjaBob

I got a Water Treatment System & Water Harvesting from kingspan for €5500. I think the water harvesting system was around €1500 - €2000, it came with everything.

There is a pump that pumps the water into the garage. Then into the house. If the water level in the water harvesting drops really low then the well water tops it up.

There was very little extra plumbing involved once I got it into the garage.

Audioslaven

ninjaBob wrote: »

I got a Water Treatment System & Water Harvesting from kingspan for €5500. I think the water harvesting system was around €1500 - €2000, it came with everything.

There is a pump that pumps the water into the garage. Then into the house. If the water level in the water harvesting drops really low then the well water tops it up.

There was very little extra plumbing involved once I got it into the garage.

What size tank was this?

I got a quote of kingspan and they wanted 6200 + vat for 2k gallon tank with no uv or water filters.

I think Mike2006 has a point. I was thinking of putting it in but the cost is a huge turnoff to put in a decent system (2500 gallon) with filters and uv. I will probably have all the pipes lined up and just to drop a tank later down the road. On cost alone this has put me off, it can't be justified at the moment until these guys drop the price for the tanks e.g 3k for 2.5k gallon tank. You would probably put the pans in and pour it for that.

LoTwan

We are looking at a 9m3 concrete tank which we have been quoted €2,500 for. There is no UV filter in the set up just now but there will be.

We have no mains water connection on the site and it will cost us ~€4000 to connect to the mains and then we face rural water metering.

I am in the process of investigating the filters needed to use the water to feed the showers, bath, dishwasher etc along with the washing machine and toilet.

Holla23

Hi <SNIP>

Looking into a rainwater harvester now and just wondering how your one is going for you? Any advantages/disadvantes going with that system or anything you would do again if you had the chance?!

Thanks.

bruschi

Holla23 wrote: »

Hi <SNIP>,

Looking into a rainwater harvester now and just wondering how your one is going for you? Any advantages/disadvantes going with that system or anything you would do again if you had the chance?!

Thanks.

they are just advertising their own product, and would doubt they'll be back onto tell you anything other than their system is great!

muffler

bruschi wrote: »

they are just advertising their own product, and would doubt they'll be back onto tell you anything other than their system is great!

That indeed appears to be the case.

If you or anyone for that matter ever see anything like this again would you mind reporting it please.

Cheers

bruschi

muffler wrote: »

That indeed appears to be the case.

If you or anyone for that matter ever see anything like this again would you mind reporting it please.

Cheers

no worries. they had another post on the forum somewhere too about their system.

muffler

bruschi wrote: »

no worries. they had another post on the forum somewhere too about their system.

Yeah, I seen that when I checked his profile. He has since been permanently banned from Boards.ie

BigGeorge

Have anyone any experience with Oasis tanks in the UK who are quoted 2900 stg plus VAT, making it about €1000 cheaper than the local options. If there is no support, spare parts etc... then they are not really an option

galwaytt

Mike2006 wrote: »

I then said, right, if they introduce a water charge it will be max €200 per year.

...slightly o/t: if they do bring it in, I think, ultimately, it'll end up being a lot more than €200 p.a...........

clint_eastman

I've posted elsewhere that I've gotten a good few quotes from Irish suppliers for these systems. I was wondering has anyone gone down the route of purchasing direct from a european manufacturer (as opposed to Irish distributor) and if so how did it work out? Was it worth it financially? PM's if required...

Holla23

Hi Clint,

Haven't gone down the route of a European supplier but I'd appreciate it if you could PM me the prices you got and the company names.

Thanks.

rainson

Your definately thinking along the right lines, but i would probally forget about recycling the bath & shower water. The underground tank makes more sense as it is more protected from frost, if you have pump inside it.

rainson

You will not know what your best option is until you have drilled the well and took a sample off water from it, into a HSE Lab and got a full test done on it. You maybe pleasently suprised to find you do not need much treatment. Or you could be shocked to find you need anything from 1,000 to 5,000 euro worth off equipment. Plus the cost off drilling the well.

rainson

Why did you put in rainwater harvesting if you had a well?
Have you ever had the well water tested in a HSE Lab?
Do you treat the water from the well before you put it into rainwater tank?

Darkslcie

An old thread but more relevant than ever

The water charge "they say will but 280" per 2 adult house hold with 30k litres free per year.
Now i worked out what we use


[IMG]http://stephen-walsh.com/misc_hosting_files/boards/water usage.jpg[/IMG]

now this comes to €740 and i know my aquarium will cost and extra €120 per year
so in total €860 for 2 adults for one year.

Slightly off the "so-called" average ......


I know not many people have actually worked this out, and this is why the people don't rise up more.



But based on this I'm looking to drill a well in Galway myself next year and build it into the garage.

How is the water quality?
Is it aquarium safe?
I assume chlorine isn't in it, but limescale is, what else might be there?
What PH level is expected?

drive it

Does any one have a rain harvest tank just for toilets and washing machine ?
Was thinking of putting one in it would have to be above ground tank as we are surrounded by a sheet of rock. What kind of money would it cost?

nedley

Hi Darkslcie, I think that you are right in that people are going to be shocked when the bills start rolling in. This talk of the average household water charge being around €240 per year is a joke. I have been looking at our own usage since shortly after the meter was installed a few weeks ago.

4 adults in house and our average daily usage over the last three weeks has been 572 Litres/Day. Multiply this by 365 = 208,789 Litres. Minus the 30,000 Litres allowance gives us 178,780 Litres usage for the year. I know that the final price has not been decided (or maybe has been decided but not released yet!!) But the only figure that I could find is the one you also used of €4.88 per 1000 Litres (or Cubic Meter, same thing). Seemingly, this figure consists of €2.44 per 1000 Litres of water into the household and another €2.44 for same amount sewage.

Anyway that gives us an annual bill of 178,780 /1000 X 4.88 = € 872

I thought that there must be something wrong with my figures so had a chat with the next door neighbour and took a look at their meter. Their usage was just slightly less than ours and they have 2 adults and 2 teenagers.

I also read somewhere that the average use per person was about 1000 litres per week which I thought was mad until I checked our own usage. 572 L daily divided by 4 people = 143 Litres per person X 7 days = 1,001 Litres per person per week.

I am now looking at conservation, rain harvesting or maybe a well which has brought me here.

Will give more thoughts on this tomorrow, apologies if this is hijacking someone else's thread, mods please move if appropriate.

Top Corner

Ive installed a rainwater unit and after 34 days the rainwater meter was showing i had used 9700 ltrs used with 3 adults in the house . Irish waters estimate is just disgracefull . Snake oil salesmen . Im glad every day It's raining these days

Seaniemac

Top Corner wrote: »

Ive installed a rainwater unit and after 34 days the rainwater meter was showing i had used 9700 ltrs used with 3 adults in the house . Irish waters estimate is just disgracefull . Snake oil salesmen . Im glad every day It's raining these days

Hi Top Corner, I interested in installing a Rain water harvesting system in my new build when I get started next month. It will be a bungalow around 3000sq ft. I`m interested in what kind of system you have and what are you using the water for ie; Toilets, Washing Machine etc. Was it expensive? I would appreciate any pointers that you could give. Thanks......

Top Corner

Seaniemac wrote: »

Hi Top Corner, I interested in installing a Rain water harvesting system in my new build when I get started next month. It will be a bungalow around 3000sq ft. I`m interested in what kind of system you have and what are you using the water for ie; Toilets, Washing Machine etc. Was it expensive? I would appreciate any pointers that you could give. Thanks......

Hi seaniemac
I got an underground tank system put in with a total of seven filters located at different points . And i have it feeding evertything except my kitchen sink and my dishwasher. It cost a fair chunk of change and I'm trying to work out my payback based on one month's usage roughly. But i can't cross check my rainwater Meter with the irish water meter because its not there and also that we have had such good weather lately that the mains backup in a box has been topping up my tank.
But in 34 days theres been 9700 ltrs of water gone through that meter. Ive even gone putting bricks in the toilets now to reduce what i can when flushing. But if there's a full days rain my tank fills handy enough. I'm sure it'll have a reasonable payback time once the government has the whole country in compliance and can hike the prices even more .

Seaniemac

Thanks Top Corner, I was thinking of the underground tank and just feeding the toilets and a tap in the yard for gardening and any other jobs that wouldn`t need drinking quality water. What size of a Tank do you have? I was also considering an overground tank for harvesting from the Garage roof for use in a small Poly-tunnel. What do you think?

Top Corner

Regardless of what your using it for you still have to pay for the rainwater gear plumbing electric and excavation you might as well maximise your usage. No point doing it half . Ive a 3000 ltr f line tank .maybe a 5000 would have been better knowing now how much im using in a month

Top Corner

seaniemac
how is your rainwater harvesting system coming along ??

Seaniemac

Hi Top Corner, we haven`t really got off the ground yet. My planning was held up with Further Information stuff so that set us back a bit. I will be going ahead with the system for the toilets in the house at first with an option of maybe adding some filters and using it also for the washing machine. I will keep you posted on the progress.

nutandbolt

does anyone know what size tank would be needed for a family of 4, we just want to use it for washing machines and toilets (4 toilets)
thanks