This is Part 7 in the series “How to Build a Rainwater Collection System”.  Click to see parts one, two, three, four,  five and six.

Either a submersible pump or centrifugal pressure pump will be required to transfer water from storage to filtration and use. A submersible pump will need means of regulating flow.

A pressure tank with a pressure switch will tell the pump when to turn on and off by a drop of pressure in the pressure tank. This application is much like well system and is intended for household use. It could be used for irrigation, but keep in mind that the pressure tank will need to be frost protected.

The most common method of conveyance would be a booster pump. These pumps are generally centrifugal pumps and can be placed in the mechanical room or well shed.  A centrifugal booster pump is used without an exterior pressure tank and is considered an “on demand” pump, meaning that when the faucet is opened, the pressure in the pump drops down to low pressure – usually 20 PSI, and the pump will start running and maintain constant pressure while the faucet is open.  Once the faucet is closed, the pump will continue to run until it meets its high pressure cut off.

Either pump system should always be used before filtration and disinfection — which will be our next topic.

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Ken Blair

President at RainBank Rainwater Systems

A rainwater collection systems designer and consultant, Ken has designed and installed residential and commercial systems, primarily in the northwest United States for more than 10 years and, in 2014, began consulting and managing builds in other states. Ken is an accredited ARCSA Professional Designer / Installer and Life Member, the Northwest Regional ARCSA representative and advisor to its education committee and is available to speak about Rainwater Collection Systems design and builds.

Ken is a United States Navy veteran, having served on active duty during the Vietnam War era.

A career entrepreneur, Ken created a new business focus with a commercial dive company in Hawaii in the mid 1980′s to respond to and clean up oil spills, oil spill equipment training, service and maintenance for the oil co-op service industry. Ken is passionate about having a positive impact on the environment and is also a founding director of BANK-ON-RAIN (2011-2014), whose mission is to create grassroots solutions for rainwater collection for consumption and agriculture in developing areas of the planet.