Water collection and storage! Let’s do our bit!
There are several ways we can assist with water preservation and supply in South Africa, our beautiful but semi-arid country. We have written about waterwise gardens in the past. This article focuses on two primary ways to Collect and Store Water– Rainwater Harvesting and utilising Water Backup Systems.
Water is precious
We all know the water supply in South Africa is under pressure. With Climate Change, we are likely to see cycles of drought followed by heavy rains, and some areas of the country experience drought while others experience flooding. In addition, Gauteng will be affected by water restrictions, water-shedding, and water throttling to allow for maintenance work and for reservoirs to recover.
Peak demand for water in Johannesburg is already close to the available supply from Rand Water. This means the system is vulnerable if there are any breakdowns or spikes in demand caused by heat waves.
All of this means that when we get rain or have a water supply, it is advantageous to collect and store it!
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater Harvesting is all about collecting rainwater from rooftops or landscaped areas and storing it in tanks for use during dry periods. Even during the rainy season, there are days and weeks when no rain falls. During those periods, you can irrigate your garden with water collected during the last rains. This relieves pressure on the dams, leaving more water for future use and reducing your municipal water bills.
Components of a Rainwater Harvesting system include:
- A Catchment area – Rooftops, paved areas, and landscaped areas can all be catchment areas.
- Gutters and Downpipes and underground pipes – these transport rainwater to storage tanks, sometimes with the help of a pump.
- Filters and first flush devices – Rooftop or catchment surface filters prevent leaves and dirt from entering the gutters or downpipes.
- Storage tanks – Above-ground or underground concrete or plastic tanks are used to store the collected rainwater.
- Delivery systems—These piping systems with pumps and filters convey the stored rainwater from the tanks to the point of use, whether an irrigation system or for use in the house.
- A water backup system allows you to collect and store water automatically or manually from the existing municipal water supply. These can be standalone systems or combined with a rainwater harvesting system. Let’s take a look at these…
- A Water Tank with Automatic Refill from the Mains – A water storage tank is installed and connected to the municipal water feed and the house plumbing system and is filled from the mains. Once complete, a valve closes off the tank, and water runs from the mains into the house as usual. When municipal water is unavailable, water is sourced from the tank, and a pressure pump or a garden hosepipe is used to pump water into the home. When the municipal supply is restored, the tank is again automatically refilled from the mains.
- A Water Storage Tank with Manual Usage and Refilling –This more affordable option requires you to implement the phases by filling the tank with the hosepipe. Connecting a tap to the tank lets you decant the water into a bucket for use in the home or garden, or a hosepipe can also be fitted.
- Combine Water Storage with Rainwater Harvesting – This is the Rolls Royce and the ideal system to realise savings during the rainy season when your water tank is filled by rainwater collected from your roof and as a water backup system. A float valve ensures that there is always a minimum amount of water stored in the tanks. The tank is automatically filled from the mains if the water drops below this level.
Useful maintenance tip
Water in a closed water tank remains fresh for up to three months. Rotating the water regularly by using and refilling one-quarter of the tank every month will keep it fresh for longer. For additional protection, chlorine can be added to prevent the growth of bacteria. Chlorine tablets or a pool floater are ideal for this purpose. It is recommended that the tank be emptied and rinsed to remove any sediment approximately once a year.
Consult the experts
Windy Willows Wholesale Nursery in Honeydew, Johannesburg, offers a turnkey solution for installing your Water Backup System, including the concrete base. Our experience in landscaping, irrigation, and Rainwater Harvesting allows us to seamlessly integrate all the necessary components. We also provide repair services.
Contact us today, and let us help you start saving water and money and, ultimately, the planet!
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