Can I Install A Cheap Rainwater Harvesting System?

Some points to consider when buying a rainwater harvesting system are:

• Is it a shallow or deep tank? A deep tank will be dangerous if you ever want to remove the pump, and will be harder to install in the ground, costing you more in earth excavation, time and larger plant machinery. It will also increase the risk of hitting water in the ground.
• How wide is the opening in the tank? A narrow 450mm opening will be very difficult to get into, especially if there is a filter in the tank. A 600mm opening is better.
• Quality of pump – a good pump from a major pump manufacturer is best.
• Level of filtration – here, the more filtration the better! A few little bits of grit coming through the system will cause havoc to your toilet valves.
• Quality of mains water back up – using industrial brass magnetic valves is preferable. Some of the cheaper packaged boxes use low-quality valves which are prone to failing.

Take home message

We really encourage people to save water and making your own rainwater system is a great idea if you just want to use it for the garden and have the relevant skills to do so. But don’t do this for toilet flushing as you could cause yourself a lot of problems, you could even without knowing contaminate your drinking water supply!

What’s next?

• Discover how to plan for a rainwater harvesting system
• Have a look at our full range of rainwater harvesting systems
• Read our handy water-saving tips