Underground rainwater harvesting system anybody??

paddy147

I was doing it equally for being eco friendly and more user friendly on water and also for the cost factor too (futurproofing for the water meters and rates).

Rainwater is much softer and lower pH level too,so it would be kind on the skin for showering and also kind on appliences for washing clothes and dishes.

Less limescale problems aswell.

I also have my 2 lagre aquariams aswell with regards water changes.

But with the water meters more or less delayed till 2016 (and who knows,maybe my area wont get water meters now) I also want to take on board cost aswell....(sure dont we all these days).

Its a gamble,and Im allways up for a gamble.....but maybe its a gamble with a few too many unknowns now at this stage....(well done yet again Phil Hogan).


If it comes to it in a few years time,then I can/will stick an overground black coloured 4000 litre tank in the garage and collect the rainwater off the garage roof.
I can also put a 2500 litre black square plastic tank down the side of the house and collect the rainwater off the front and side of the house.


I think I had better let my missus work her magic with the back garden now,as I am seriously holding up her grand designs and plans for it.;):D

JCabot

paddy147 wrote: »

3k for a 6000 litre concrete underground system from Shay Murtagh.Thats with UV sterilization and 3 stage filtration system too.

Thats supply and instalation of the concrete tank and system,minus any actual ground works and re-jigging and connection of rainwater downpipes and wavin piping too.

I also have the JFC catalogue here,as I rang them and they both emailed me and sent me a catalogue in the post.

I also have a Kingspan Water catalogue here too,as they also posted one out to me.

JFC and Kingspan use plastic underground tanks,which need a stable base and then you backfill with 300mm of pea shingle in stages.

You also fill the tank with water in 300mm stages too,as you backfill.

Both JFC and Kingspan plastic tanks have a guarentee of 15 years.

I am not confident about using plastic tanks after reading an article recently about chemicals leaching from plactic into stored water. Some of which are as yet not even tested for so this may become an issue in the future. Theres a supplier in Clonakilty which I have not connection with that i bought a RO unit from and they also sell whole house water filters. It might be worth your while doing a comparrison on price.

paddy147

I have an RO system here.

Bought it for making/producing salt water from my marine fish tank.

I decided not to go ahead with the marine tank,so I still have a new 5 stage pumped RO system sitting here in its packaging.:)

JCabot

paddy147 wrote: »

I have an RO system here.

Bought it for making/producing salt water from my marine fish tank.

I decided not to go ahead with the marine tank,so I still have a new 5 stage pumped RO system sitting here in its packaging.:)

RO is only for the tap water but you would also need to filter the water for the house. I know I was looking for something to remove the chlorine and they had very large filters for this porpose. not sure if they are the same ones used for rain water harvesting but might be worth getting a quote.

paddy147

A friend of mine has put the idea of an underground system back into my head.

We also visited a large precast concrete and quarry company last week aswell,and we looked at the tanks in the flesh.

A 6000 litre precast tank is just on 2 meters in height and 2.25 meters in diameter.

I know its basicly a 50/50 gamble,but I keep on having this niggling/gut feeling that in the future (even 5-6 years down the line) that we in this country are going to be hammered with water rates.
It will be a flat rate for the 1st year or 2 from 2014/2015,but what happens after that

Utility prices seem to only go 1 way in this country.


So the question with regards the future and even 10-20 years on down the line,is this.....



Heads or tails??????





PS-My mate said to me recently,this is an investment for life,and he wishes he could do something like this,but lack of garden space prevents him from doing this for his house and family.

JCabot

I also think this is where we are heading but I would not be suprised if the local councils also tried to licence or find a way to tax them. Ideally something like this is installed at build but apart from initial cost its just how easy or difficult it is to retro fit them. I would prefer the concrete to pvc because less chance of chemicals in my drinking water.

paddy147

JCabot wrote: »

I also think this is where we are heading but I would not be suprised if the local councils also tried to licence or find a way to tax them. Ideally something like this is installed at build but apart from initial cost its just how easy or difficult it is to retro fit them. I would prefer the concrete to pvc because less chance of chemicals in my drinking water.

I was recently speaking to a freind of mine who works in the water division of DCC.
He rekons that any house that has an "uisce" stop cock shore outside their property will get a meter in the comming 2 years.

Theres strong rummors and whispers from his water division department that Bord Gais/Irish Water plan to do a "flat rate" for the 1st year of charges and then after that,we will be getting billed for water,once all the meters are installed.

At the nmoment its all a bit of an unknown,but we all know that the prices wont decrease ever.

They will only go 1 way.......and thats UP and UP and UP.:(:mad:

padser12345

JCabot wrote: »

I am not confident about using plastic tanks after reading an article recently about chemicals leaching from plactic into stored water. Some of which are as yet not even tested for so this may become an issue in the future. Theres a supplier in Clonakilty which I have not connection with that i bought a RO unit from and they also sell whole house water filters. It might be worth your while doing a comparrison on price.

I would only worry about chemicals leaching from the plastic Tanks - if I were to drink the water!

momec

I have a rain water tank out in my garden and i fitted it myself , i dug a hole 16ft deep and 6ft by 10ft wide , i put a 4ft plastic double skin pipe they use for making road crossings standing on its end and filled around it with 3 to 4 inch washed stone from a quarry , the stone cost 200 euro and pipe was 800 euro .. its constantly full an never has been dry in 3 yrs , i must get it tested but it runs the house no problem ..

paddy147

momec wrote: »

I have a rain water tank out in my garden and i fitted it myself , i dug a hole 16ft deep and 6ft by 10ft wide , i put a 4ft plastic double skin pipe they use for making road crossings standing on its end and filled around it with 3 to 4 inch washed stone from a quarry , the stone cost 200 euro and pipe was 800 euro .. its constantly full an never has been dry in 3 yrs , i must get it tested but it runs the house no problem ..

Any pics?

momec

ill take a couple tomorow all you see is about 2ft of pipe overground with concrete lid on it

paddy147

momec wrote: »

ill take a couple tomorow all you see is about 2ft of pipe overground with concrete lid on it

How does the water get from the underground to the tank in the attic and around the house?

Im presuming you ran something like Hydrodare pipe from the underground tank up to and into the house and have a pump to pump the water up and in?



Do you use the water for showering,if if yes,then what sort of treatment does it go through for showering use?

Thanks

cmcqq

Hi Paddy147.

Have you done anything regarding your water harvesting system yet? It has been on my mind for a long time. Im starting some renovations, extension at the back of my home so while im digging foundations im thinking should i dig out a pit for a large tank.
I was also chatting with a friend who recently dug a 6inch well, must say very tidy but messy when drilling. However his garden is huge and needed access for the drilling truck. He called the company today and they said that they have a smaller track machine that could access my garden. Just another thought. Im waiting for an idea of price..

PS Your damn right, the day will come when a flat rate will become another huge burden on us when the regulator etc allow Bord Gas inc electric to hike up the already ridiculous prices to live in what used to be a great country. All we can try to do is reduce our utility expenses. (rant over) I have already put in three panels 500ltr hot water storage tank. Led lights and upgraded insulation.
Now for water harvesting If i could have my way i'd have a wind turbine as well

Let me know if you have proceeded your venture in water harvesting..

stooge

We have a water harvesting system currently in the house. Tank installed under the front garden and taking runoff from the house and garage roof.

Unfortunately, the previous owner did not install a UV or sediment filter so it is pretty much unusable at the moment (We turn the value off which pumps the water up to the tank in the attic).

Paying for the filters and fitting would be an outlay of around 1k going by quotes and estimates. Maybe something we will look into further down the line but overall the system seems to work well (despite the filter).

Sonnenblumen

stooge wrote: »

We have a water harvesting system currently in the house. Tank installed under the front garden and taking runoff from the house and garage roof.

Unfortunately, the previous owner did not install a UV or sediment filter so it is pretty much unusable at the moment (We turn the value off which pumps the water up to the tank in the attic).

Paying for the filters and fitting would be an outlay of around 1k going by quotes and estimates. Maybe something we will look into further down the line but overall the system seems to work well (despite the filter).

How do you manage when the tank fills? Instead of connecting to attic tank (= lots of maintenance work + expense), have you considered connecting it to an external tap for use in garden/car washing?

IMO I've seen some very expensive installations, ROI is weak and they all require careful and regular monitoring to avoid any potential health risks etc purposes.

stoneill

Have one installed - 5000l buried in back garden, sediment filter but no UV as it's used for flushing toilets only.
2 separate water tanks in attic, one for mains water and one for harvested water.
Run off sump at the hedge row drain for any excess or overfill of collection tank.

Even during the dry spell during the summer I didn't need to divert to using mains water.

hexosan

I have a 6500L concrete tank installed in my garden approx 3mx2m. While excavating the basement of my new build we came across a natural spring that needed to be diverted. I buried the tank 5m below the surface and used two 1mx1m concrete well liners to bring it to the surface. I diverted the spring through the filling for my raft foundation and piped it into the tank which I drilled through. Out the other side I ran the pipe across the site and to a land drain. So I have the tank constantly filling with fresh water and the land drain pipe handles the over flow. I haven't got it tested yet but I plan on using it for the garden and maybe the toilets in the house. Haven't looked into the logistics of this yet either. As it's free flowing there shouldn't be any issues with stagnation and it shouldn't require heavy filtration, it may even be possible to use as drinking water.