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How-to, Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

The WISY 4 Step Rainwater Collection System

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4 Step Process - RBEarlier this year, we announced that we are a WISY product dealer.

A rainwater system designed with WISY products requires minimal maintenance and never needs replacing. With the WISY 4 Step system, you’ll never clean a filter basket or a tank again.  Ever.

The WISY 4 step system.

Step 1. WISY VORTEX FILTER

Before entering the tank for storage, rainwater should be both filtered and aerated. Filtration removes large particulate matter, which frequently both carries and feeds bacteria. Removal of this particulate matter, along with oxygenation of the water, greatly reduces the amount of harmful bacteria in the tank. WISY pre-tank filters accomplish both of these tasks, protecting the water quality in the tank.

Step 2. WISY SMOOTHING INLET

While filtration removes most of the sediment and bacteria before rainwater enters the tank, a small quantity will settle at the bottom of the tank. This biofilm layer is beneficial for the tank and may remove additional bacteria and metals from the water. The WISY smoothing inlet calms rainwater as it enters the storage tank to prevent the agitation of sediment at the rainwater inlet. The smoothing inlet also helps aerate harvested rainwater by directing water upward and outward, avoiding disruption of the beneficial biofilm layer and preserving water quality in the tank.

Step 3. WISY FLOATING FILTER

Since all harvested rainwater is filtered before entering the tank, the floating filter should never clog but will instead take water from just below the surface. Water at this depth is of the highest quality in the tank, because any particulate that enters the tank either floats on the surface or settles to the bottom. In RainBank designed systems, the floating filter acts more as an uptake point for the pump than a filter; thus, the floating filter should never require maintenance.

The floating filter consists of a polyethylene ball and stainless steel filter and is supplied with a standard 7 foot length of food-grade suction hose. The nozzle connections are available in 1 1/4″ and 2″ sizes.

Step 4. WISY OVERFLOW DEVICE

To prevent backup in the system during heavy rains, the storage tank should always include an overflow protection device. The WISY overflow device has a flapper valve, which allows water to overflow but protects water quality in the cistern with backflow prevention and vermin protection. The overflow device also contains an angled opening to provide skimming of small buoyant debris, such as pollen, on the water surface.

More to come: we will offer an online shopping cart for you to make your purchases. Contact us with questions about the WISY 4 Step System.

Rainwater Catchment

How To Keep Stored Rainwater Clean

fresh-839260_640Compared to surface water, rainwater is relatively clean to begin with. It is what rainwater comes in contact with that requires attention. Dust, pollen, organic materials, such as leaves and pine needles greatly affect the quality of stored rainwater.

Filtering out this debris upstream from storage should be included in your rainwater harvesting system. A high quality gutter screen is recommended as a first line of defense against debris, while it also keeps your gutters clean.

The use of downspout filters, or vortex filters, will improve the quality of your stored water by filtering and aerating rainWFF100-Vortex Filter_RainBankwater before it enters the storage tank. Removal of large particulate along with aeration greatly reduces the amount of harmful bacteria entering the storage tank. A downspout filter or vortex filter acts as first flush device and aerates the water and will not freeze as other first flush devices.

A smoothing inlet installed inside the bottom of the tank distributes the incoming water horizontally and prevents stirring up the sediments while aerating the water as it enters the tank. Aeration happens with each collection cycle and helps keep a healthy bio film at the bottom of the tank. There are beneficial microbes in the sediment that actually eat bacteria as they sink to the bottom. A healthily maintained bio film enhances the water quality in storage.

To prevent backup in the system during heavy rains, the storage tank should always include an overflow device. The overflow device allows water to overflow, but protects water quality in the storage tank with back flow prevention and vermin protection while also providing a skimming during overflow of buoyant debris, such as pollen, on the water surface.

Finally, a floating suction ensures the water being provided to the pressure pump and filtration is the cleanest water from the storage tank. Since all harvested rainwater is filtered before entering the tank, the floating filter should never clog, but will instead take water from just below the surface. Water at this depth is of the highest quality in the tank, because any particulate that enters the tank either floats on the surface or settles to the bottom. The floating filter acts as an uptake point for the pump than a filter; thus, the floating filter should never require maintenance.

RainBank Rainwater Systems is a dealer of Wisy and the Four Step System to ensure quality, collected rainwater.

Rainwater Harvesting Education

Is Drinking Rainwater Bad for Us?

water-686917_640Although rainwater is generally considered clean, it can carry microbial and viral contamination generally caused by birds, rodents and insects. However, rainwater is relatively easy to filtrate and disinfect, resulting in improved quality over other drinking water supplies.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the quality of public drinking water, but not private systems. The treatment of rainwater should be equal to that of surface water. All collected rainwater used for potable supply must be treated effectively to minimize risk of human health hazards. Contaminates need to be removed by filtration and sorption, or inactivated by disinfectant.

Both organic and inorganic contaminants need to be considered in design and installation of a rainwater collection system. Microbial and viral contamination in a rainwater collection system can be reduced by proper collection techniques such as screening, first flush devices, or vortex filters before storage. Environmental contaminants such as pesticides, fertilizers, and hydrocarbons should be considered, too. Raw water testing from the downspout at time of design will insure proper filtration in the treatment train, if needed.

Raw water should be tested to ensure that a RWC system is designed to produce high-quality potable water and tested after installation to be sure that the filtration and disinfection system is effectively removing any contaminants of concern.

To ensure that a RWC system is producing high-quality water, testing must be done. The EPA and local health agencies specify methods to analyze drinking water. Laboratories that conduct these tests are certified and governed by regulatory agencies. It is recommended that collected rainwater intended for single family domestic use be tested once per year for bacterial and any other constituents that are a concern.