Rainwater uses in house?
Rainwater uses in house?
26 October 2006, 10:19 PM
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Watering the veg patch?
Seriously though, the costs of installing rain water 'harvesting' kit is high.
I'm curious about recycling 'brown' water as well. Using bath water to flush the loos etc. Once your water has passed through the meter into your property it is yours to do with as you please. (Until New Labour introduce a 'recycling tax' anyway.
Seriously though, the costs of installing rain water 'harvesting' kit is high.
I'm curious about recycling 'brown' water as well. Using bath water to flush the loos etc. Once your water has passed through the meter into your property it is yours to do with as you please. (Until New Labour introduce a 'recycling tax' anyway.
Last edited by unclebuck; 26 October 2006 at 10:21 PM.
26 October 2006, 10:22 PM
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Originally Posted by unclebuck
Watering the veg patch?
Seriously though, the costs of installing rain water 'harvesting' kit is high.
I'm curious about recycling 'brown' water as well. Using bath water to flush the loos etc. Once your water has passed through the meter into your property it is your's to do with as you please. (Until New Labour introduce a 'recycling tax' anyway.
Seriously though, the costs of installing rain water 'harvesting' kit is high.
I'm curious about recycling 'brown' water as well. Using bath water to flush the loos etc. Once your water has passed through the meter into your property it is your's to do with as you please. (Until New Labour introduce a 'recycling tax' anyway.
26 October 2006, 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by 84of300
You mean you don't already UB, I'm shocked
26 October 2006, 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by unclebuck
I do what I can without installing more stuff. I have solar panels for heating water, and used my bath water to water the veggies through those hot dry summer months...
How are those solar panels working for you? Would you recommend them? How much did it cost you to get it fitted etc?
26 October 2006, 10:43 PM
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Originally Posted by unclebuck
Watering the veg patch?
Seriously though, the costs of installing rain water 'harvesting' kit is high.
I'm curious about recycling 'brown' water as well. Using bath water to flush the loos etc. Once your water has passed through the meter into your property it is yours to do with as you please. (Until New Labour introduce a 'recycling tax' anyway.
Seriously though, the costs of installing rain water 'harvesting' kit is high.
I'm curious about recycling 'brown' water as well. Using bath water to flush the loos etc. Once your water has passed through the meter into your property it is yours to do with as you please. (Until New Labour introduce a 'recycling tax' anyway.
I can think of as system to harvest rainwater that involves a new tank in the loft, some plumbing and *maybe* a pump to fill the tank (gutters are usually below loft tank level).
Dave
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26 October 2006, 10:44 PM
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well under the new part L regulations these things have to be considered in new buildings, but not residental iirc, although so architects / designers do try to incorporate grey water systems for loos etc.
26 October 2006, 10:54 PM
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UB - think you mean "grey water" I have found underground tanks are expensive. I'll be building mine out of block work and rendering the inside. Already have the pump ready to get the water back out to water the veggie plot, and I'm not even on a water meter!
26 October 2006, 10:59 PM
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Originally Posted by AudiLover
How are those solar panels working for you?
Would you recommend them? How much did it cost you to get it fitted etc?
Would you recommend them? How much did it cost you to get it fitted etc?
I am lucky in that that the system was already installed when I moved in, so while I am reaping the benefits I bare none of the cost. If I were building a new place I would install solar panels everywhere, no question.
26 October 2006, 11:08 PM
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Great...hot water when you don't need it 
Anyhoo, the idea of using grey water is great. but obviously you need to address the issue of storing manky water; it can't be stored inside a house, unless it's a sealed tank, as it could go stagnent and end up a bit pongy. And also the likelihood of valves, pipes and pumps clogging up with scum and algae. Although this can be adressed by using a chlorination system...but then your water board won't like you putting that down their sewer after you've finished with it.
Anyhoo, the idea of using grey water is great. but obviously you need to address the issue of storing manky water; it can't be stored inside a house, unless it's a sealed tank, as it could go stagnent and end up a bit pongy. And also the likelihood of valves, pipes and pumps clogging up with scum and algae. Although this can be adressed by using a chlorination system...but then your water board won't like you putting that down their sewer after you've finished with it.
26 October 2006, 11:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Shark Man
Great...hot water when you don't need it
.
.
When do you 'not need' hot water? I assume from what you say that during the summer months you and yours take a cold bath every day then? Then perform the washing up with cold water before not setting the washing machine to 'economy'.
26 October 2006, 11:51 PM
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Originally Posted by unclebuck
When do you 'not need' hot water? I assume from what you say that during the summer months you and yours take a cold bath every day then? Then perform the washing up with cold water before not setting the washing machine to 'economy'.
Cold showers in the summer, can't beat them :thumb
Washing up? Not my problem
Now maybe if the washinmosheen had a "hot fill", it maybe of use. But thanks to our energy consumption buddies, they no longer exist. And now I feel guilty about not using calgon, as all the heating has to be done by the electric element
Roll on cheap photo-electric panels
27 October 2006, 12:04 AM
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Water harvesting kit cost high??????
Guttering and drainage to low level water tank.
Some plastic pipe to a high level tank and a solar powered pump.
Not going to break the bank!
Andy
Guttering and drainage to low level water tank.
Some plastic pipe to a high level tank and a solar powered pump.
Not going to break the bank!
Andy
27 October 2006, 08:33 AM
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Originally Posted by Fuzz
Water harvesting kit cost high??????
Guttering and drainage to low level water tank.
Some plastic pipe to a high level tank and a solar powered pump.
Not going to break the bank!
Andy
Guttering and drainage to low level water tank.
Some plastic pipe to a high level tank and a solar powered pump.
Not going to break the bank!
Andy
Dave
27 October 2006, 09:13 AM
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Looking for a house at the moment and went and looked at some new builds at the weekend. They all had systems to use rainwater for flushing the loo etc. There was a big tank buried in the garden to store it.
The woman showing us round explained how it saved you money as of course all new houses have water meters, she also seemed to think that these systems may become mandatory on all new houses in the not too distant future. I guess they can't be that expensive if they are prepared to build new houses with the system now, usually they try to keep the build cost to an absolute mininum so as to maximise the profit.
The woman showing us round explained how it saved you money as of course all new houses have water meters, she also seemed to think that these systems may become mandatory on all new houses in the not too distant future. I guess they can't be that expensive if they are prepared to build new houses with the system now, usually they try to keep the build cost to an absolute mininum so as to maximise the profit.
27 October 2006, 10:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Fuzz
Water harvesting kit cost high??????
Guttering and drainage to low level water tank.
Some plastic pipe to a high level tank and a solar powered pump.
Not going to break the bank!
Andy
Guttering and drainage to low level water tank.
Some plastic pipe to a high level tank and a solar powered pump.
Not going to break the bank!
Andy
27 October 2006, 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Graz
Looking for a house at the moment and went and looked at some new builds at the weekend. They all had systems to use rainwater for flushing the loo etc. There was a big tank buried in the garden to store it.
The woman showing us round explained how it saved you money as of course all new houses have water meters, she also seemed to think that these systems may become mandatory on all new houses in the not too distant future. I guess they can't be that expensive if they are prepared to build new houses with the system now, usually they try to keep the build cost to an absolute mininum so as to maximise the profit.
The woman showing us round explained how it saved you money as of course all new houses have water meters, she also seemed to think that these systems may become mandatory on all new houses in the not too distant future. I guess they can't be that expensive if they are prepared to build new houses with the system now, usually they try to keep the build cost to an absolute mininum so as to maximise the profit.
27 October 2006, 10:59 AM
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Originally Posted by OllyK
Fine if you're happy to have a tank above ground, if you want it hidden away, underground reinforced GRP tanks are not so cheap! If you can find one that is - say 5000 Litres - I'd be interested!
Plumbing to the cisterms would be almost identical except that you would need an automatic valve so that when rainwater tank had water in it the cisterns would get filled from there. Then the normal tank would take over when there was no water. Not done any calculations as to sizes yet. Maybe that's the next step for me.
Really doing the exercise for two reasons. Mainly because it *can* be cheaper with a meter but if you are on a meter it makes sense to use as little as possible, within reason. Secondly, I can see meters becoming compulsory at some stage in the not so distant future so best to think ahead ....
Dave
27 October 2006, 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by hutton_d
I was thinking of the rainwater going into an outside/surface level water butt as normal (gardening etc) that contains a pump that would fill the tank in the loft when it was not full. That way you can retrofit it to almost any house. No digging etc. Just a large capacity tank in the loft. Plus a couple of filters to keep out the crud that comes off the roof etc.
Plumbing to the cisterms would be almost identical except that you would need an automatic valve so that when rainwater tank had water in it the cisterns would get filled from there. Then the normal tank would take over when there was no water. Not done any calculations as to sizes yet. Maybe that's the next step for me.
Really doing the exercise for two reasons. Mainly because it *can* be cheaper with a meter but if you are on a meter it makes sense to use as little as possible, within reason. Secondly, I can see meters becoming compulsory at some stage in the not so distant future so best to think ahead ....
Dave
Dave
27 October 2006, 12:15 PM
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We are purely on well water which has been tested and found appreciably purer than mains water. In the summer if the well gets a bit low, we collect rain water in butts and use it for flushing etc.
It would cost at least £15K to get connected to the mains so we could use re-cycled and chemically not very tasty water. So I am not going to bother.
Les
It would cost at least £15K to get connected to the mains so we could use re-cycled and chemically not very tasty water. So I am not going to bother.
Les
27 October 2006, 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Leslie
We are purely on well water which has been tested and found appreciably purer than mains water. In the summer if the well gets a bit low, we collect rain water in butts and use it for flushing etc.
It would cost at least £15K to get connected to the mains so we could use re-cycled and chemically not very tasty water. So I am not going to bother.
Les
It would cost at least £15K to get connected to the mains so we could use re-cycled and chemically not very tasty water. So I am not going to bother.
Les
27 October 2006, 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by OllyK
It's actually a little more complex. At the moment, the loo will be on the same feed as your sinks etc. You need to disconnect it so you don't risk contamination with the potable water and run a feed from the new tank to the loo cistern. I'd be tempted to run a potable feed to the tank in the loft as well with it's own ball **** set to fill at a lower level than the pumped grey feed, so when you run out of grey water, the loft tank is filled from mains water.
Originally Posted by Leslie
We are purely on well water which has been tested and found appreciably purer than mains water. In the summer if the well gets a bit low, we collect rain water in butts and use it for flushing etc.
It would cost at least £15K to get connected to the mains so we could use re-cycled and chemically not very tasty water. So I am not going to bother.
Les
It would cost at least £15K to get connected to the mains so we could use re-cycled and chemically not very tasty water. So I am not going to bother.
Les
Dave
29 October 2006, 12:10 PM
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Its about a field width away Olly, I am going by an estimate given to an elderly lady a while ago who lived about the same distance form the main. And being SW Water-what can you expect!
The well water is lovely to drink however, we are still alive after 14 years now
Les
The well water is lovely to drink however, we are still alive after 14 years now
Les
29 October 2006, 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by OllyK
That's fine and will give you about 200-250L, I'm looking at rather more than that as I'm looking to use for garden watering not loo flushing
100 gallon tanks (454 lt) - even a 175 gallon (775 litres!!) - you've just got to get them into the loft! I like the look of an extra 175 gallons in the loft from rainwater. Trouble is the weight. Anyone know what the max. weight for normal roof trusses is? (20 year old house)? If there is one ...
Ta
Dave
29 October 2006, 06:58 PM
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Hmm. Been thinking some more and it sems that the only thing that you conceivably need mains water for is drinking. Though I'd be happy with rain water as we filter it anyhow for drinking. So are there any reg.s that say you can't use rainwater in the house for anything?
What I'm thinking is keeping the existing mains tank and everything else, with the kitchen cold tap directly off the mains as now. But have a separate cold tank in the loft filled with rainwater *spliced* into the existing house plumbing so that everything was off of this (except the kitchen cold). The tank would be filled from a rainwater collector outside - you can fit various filters to keep out the crud. When the collector and the cold tank ran out it could be filled from the existing mains supply as suggested above - or have valves so that the mains cold tank came into operation.
Anyone know of any regulatory issues that could kibosh this? If it worked you could have almost no water bills for a large part of the year - as well as saving the planet of course ....
Ta
Dave
What I'm thinking is keeping the existing mains tank and everything else, with the kitchen cold tap directly off the mains as now. But have a separate cold tank in the loft filled with rainwater *spliced* into the existing house plumbing so that everything was off of this (except the kitchen cold). The tank would be filled from a rainwater collector outside - you can fit various filters to keep out the crud. When the collector and the cold tank ran out it could be filled from the existing mains supply as suggested above - or have valves so that the mains cold tank came into operation.
Anyone know of any regulatory issues that could kibosh this? If it worked you could have almost no water bills for a large part of the year - as well as saving the planet of course ....
Ta
Dave
29 October 2006, 07:31 PM
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A place my parents bought on the side of hill in the Cotswolds didn't have mains water at all.
It was all pumped from a stream from the valley below into a tank the size of a town house bedroom.
The tank sat buried in the hillside just above the house.
Wasn't that much pressure but it worked and nobody has died yet.
The only thing you'll need to do to keep the waterboard happy is to have one way valves attatched to your mains suppply in.
They get rather tetchy if they think thier water is likely to be "contaminated" from your well / stream supply.
Personally, once the new system is settled in and proven to meet your needs, I'd have the mains supply cut off and save yourself a few bob.
Andy
It was all pumped from a stream from the valley below into a tank the size of a town house bedroom.
The tank sat buried in the hillside just above the house.
Wasn't that much pressure but it worked and nobody has died yet.
The only thing you'll need to do to keep the waterboard happy is to have one way valves attatched to your mains suppply in.
They get rather tetchy if they think thier water is likely to be "contaminated" from your well / stream supply.
Personally, once the new system is settled in and proven to meet your needs, I'd have the mains supply cut off and save yourself a few bob.
Andy
Last edited by Fuzz; 29 October 2006 at 07:34 PM.