RainBank Rainwater Catchment Systems is currently building two 5300 gallon water storage tanks for Kirkland Public Safety building. The collected water will be used for irrigation for the newly remodeled building.
Rainwater collection for commercial use is catching on in Seattle!
Stay tuned – RainBank has many more commercial rainwater harvesting projects on track for this summer in the Seattle area.
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This is Part 4 in the series “How to Build a Rainwater Collection System”. Click to see parts one, two and three
What is the best storage tank for my rainwater catchment system?
Rainwater from your roof needs to be stored for future use and there are many types and manufacturers of water storage tanks. Above ground plastic tanks are a economical way to store rainwater. Most potable plastic water tanks are made from Polyethylene and it is recommended that they be “tumble molted”.
Sizes vary from a simple 50 gallon rain barrel all the way up to 10,000 gallons. All should have a UV protection warranty for at least 8 years. Dark colors are recommended to alleviate light penetration which can cause algae growth. Multiple tanks can be manifolded together to achieve the volume of storage needed. Keep in mind that plumbing should be under ground for frost protection.
There are vertical cylinder plastic water tanks if you have a large area for storage. Slim line design plastic water tanks are best suited for urban settings where space is an issue. There are box type plastic water tanks for storage under decks.
All rainwater storage tanks should be NSF approved for drinking water, should you decide to go potable now or in the future. There is a tank that will fit every application.
In the next installment of this series, we will discuss steel tanks with poly liners.
Rural residents are finding that rainwater collection can be a viable alternative to well water. Since rainwater is generally cleaner than surface water and well water, a rainwater system that is properly designed and installed can supply a household with good, clean water for potable use.
In a residential setting, the average person uses 30 to 50 gallons per day. For a 2-person household, that would be 3,000 gallons per month. A 2,000 sq ft roof will yield over 44,000 gallons of rainwater with 36 inches of annual rainfall, which is more than enough to supply a residence.
Steel and plastic water tanks are economical to install when considering the cost of a having a drilled well.
RainBank will be happy to calculate your potential yield of available rainwater from your roof. Contact us using the form below.
