Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Train-the-Trainer Seminar

Rainwater harvesting and use

Klaus W. Knig Architect and consulting engineer

NGO / NPO Professional Association for Rainwater Harvesting and Water Recycling www.fbr.de
Sustainable concepts towards a zero outflow municipality - Zer0-M

Rainwater harvesting and reuse

During the nineties several thousand rainwater harvesting systems have been installed in Germany. The single components of these installations have been steadily improved, so the rainwater harvesting is accepted as an progressively, ecological and permanent reliable installation technique. So far the rainwater harvesting is an important part of the self-sustaining development of rainwater management. The technology of the rainwater harvesting offers numerous products for different applications scenarios and the installation sizes. In the mean time a wide range of products are manufactured and are on offer. This information mentions the most important aspects of rainwater harvesting systems so the future building owners will not be left alone in respect of the planning and construction of these installations.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Water consumption and price

High costs are diminishing water consumption worldwide

Water consumption per capita per year Water price

Rainwater harvesting and use 1

Water consumption and price

Saving of drinking water In many regions clean drinking water can only be made available through a huge effort, and therefore it is always expensive. Easying the burden of sewers and sewage treatment plant Flooding peaks during heavily rainfall, this hampers the waste water disposal and therefore raises the costs. These peaks also involve huge damages. Real future investments The utilization of modern components of installations give a long-term possibility to reduce the consumption of drinking water and the amount of waste water.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Important components of rainwater installations

Filtration in front of the tank Rainwater tanks Stream in tanks

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Important components of rainwater installations

Rainwater quality and area of application Excellent quality of processed water given by installations with a minimum of technical standards. The quality of the collected rainwater depends directly on the utilised installation technique. Qualified fixed installations, which meet the requirements of a minimum standard, supply rainwater (also called process water), which can be used quite safely for the following mentioned purposes. Processed water from such installations shows, e.g. in general a better quality than it is required by the Government for bathing and swimming. Utilization purposes for rainwater The process water can be used for toilet-flushing, garden irrigation, for cleaning purposes and for the washing machine. So the consumption of drinking water can be reduced down to about 50 % of the daily consumption. Due to the soft quality of this rainwater the consumption of washing powder is reduced as well. Connection of appropriate roof areas Only roof areas should be connected. So, appropriate roof materials are: schist, clay bricks and concrete bricks.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Harwested rainwater utilization areas

Substitution of potable water 51 % if the size of the roof and tank is big enough

Retention, Utilisation, Evaporation, Seepage

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Harwested rainwater utilization areas

About 50 % of the potable water can be substituted by rainwater in German households. It depends on the rain, size of the roof, tank size and the number of people in the household.

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Applications

Watering green areas, flushing toilets, laundry

Retention, Utilisation, Evaporation, Seepage

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Applications
Rainwater can be used in households, commercial and industrial companies, as well as in public organizations, in which it is used for flushing toilets, for cooling purposes, for washing and cleaning systems and for watering green areas.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Vortex filter

Vortex fine filter for downpipe installation Seperating dirt automatically

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Vortex filter
Filter models and their functions Filtration in front of the tank A filter which is situated in front of the tank is necessary. Until 10 to 15 years ago filters specifically designed for rainwater utilisation were not available. Generally, as in the case of pumps, filters were selected from those normally used for municipal and for well water. But this type of filters have not been successful for use in private rainwater utilisation systems. The selection of the filtration system depends on the constructional situation. Favoured filters show a low maintenance, a good filtration capacity and high water harvesting capacity.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Vortex filter

New type cleaning by Vortex filter

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Vortex filter
There is a multitude of special filters for rainwater harvesting systems that are distinguished by the design, installation position and functional principle (e.g. filter matting, filter screen). As a general rule filters are to be installed in the supply line to the reservoir. They keep unwanted material automatically away from the rainwater reservoir, that could bring about malfunctions in the system, or make the water quality poorer. Rainfall pipes for a central location in front of the reservoir are a possible installation places. Furthermore, filters can be directly located in the rainwater supply line inside of the reservoir. A distinction is made between filters according to their design with regard to: Systems with a separate discharge of unwanted material from the filter and Systems with a retention of unwanted material within the filter.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Vortex filter

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Vortex fine filter for underground installation Seperating dirt automatically

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Vortex filter
Filter in an underground line, ahead of the reservoir In general the inside diameter of the filter feed line must be uniform throughout, i.e. a tennis ball which enters the filter from the roof must be able to exit through the overflow. The water loss, or the amount of effluent discharged from filter systems, which are designed so that the initial flow from roofs can be diverted, should be kept as small as possible.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Vortex filter

Vortex filter for downpipe and groundpipe

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Vortex filter
Example for a downpipe and groundpipe filter.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Filter pit

Filter pit with chamber for sedimentation 0.6 mm mesh

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Filter pit
The rainwater contains finely-distributed solids in small amounts, independent of the filtration of the rainwater in the supply line of reservoirs. Sedimentation is to be made possible in rainwater reservoirs to remove these solids. Sediment only accrues to a small degree as a rule. The sedimentation time depends on the density, size and form of the particles and can be precisely determined according to Stokes law. Rainwater reservoirs are reactors with diffuse mixtures, with regard to the sedimentation as a rule.

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Sedimentation

Heavy metal and bacteria

Sinking particle

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Sedimentation
The sedimentation is essentially made possible by the form and arrangement of the supply and overflow lines, as well as by the water removal, based on empirical knowledge. The sediment in the reservoir does not have a disadvantageous effect on the water quality, when there is correct maintenance. The following requirements are to be met in connection with this: The supply feed should not obstruct the sedimentation with disruptive flows to the extent possible and existing sediment in the area of the base of the reservoir should not be distributed again. The supplied water is to be distributed broadly and diffusely over the water level, for example, or is to be led in via a supply pipe to the bottom of the reservoir, and deflected there into an upward flow with a low exist speed (quiescent supply) The water removal is to be coordinated in such a way that: No solids are sucked in (sediment and scum) Low suction speed is ensured Flows that are disruptive arise as little as possible The removal is done in a zone in which the sedimentation has been concluded to a very great degree

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Tank installation

Tank installation with: Calm inlet Floating suction filter 1.0 mm mesh overflow

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Tank installation
Inlet feed with stilling chamber for quiescent flow. Even with adequate pre-filtration, some fine sediment will eventually settle to the bottom of tanks. To prevent this sediment from being disturbed by the flow of incoming rainwater, the inlet pipe should be brought down to the bottom of the reservoir an then fitted with twin 180 bends, or with an equivalent deflector. This will prevent the water becoming turbid. Another method of providing uniform and quiescent hydraulic flow is to distribute the inflow into a multiple pipe manifold with many small outlets holes, which can then be installed on the top of the tank. From what we know now, reservoirs should only be cleaned after extended time intervals, and never with chemicals. In the interest of good water quality the tank should not be cleaned too often. Within a short time after a rainwater systems is installed the bio-film that forms on all wet parts, have a distinct self-cleaning effect.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Tank installation

Tank installation with: Calm inlet Floating suction filter 1.0 mm mesh Borehole pump overflow

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Tank installation
Floating suction Turbulence can also be generated if the sediment is disturbed by suction pipe of the process water supply. The following options are available: Installing a floating suction system in the reservoir with a plastic float at the end of a flexible pipe A built-in check valve in the suction line will ensure that the pipe remains filled with liquid, and does not run empty Overflow lines are to be attached in such a way that scum in the reservoir is led off An overflow line is to be provided in the reservoir with the inlet when multiple reservoirs are used

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Bacteriological standards and threshold value

Comparing water for: Drinking Swimming Rainwater applications as Toilet flushing, Laundry, Watering green areas

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Bacteriological standards and threshold value

Collected rainwater which is used in the process water for toilet flushing, cleaning purposes, garden irrigation and washing, was experimentally contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, Salmonella enteritidis, Yersinia enterocoliticia and Campylobacter jejuni (Dr. Hollnder, Head of the Department for General hygiene at the State Testing Laboratory in Bremen, Germany). The results: Neither Salmonella enteritidis, Yersinia enterocoliticia nor Campylobacter jejuni are able to grow at temperatures of 5 C, 15 C, 20 C or 37 C The elimination of Salmonella is supported if the tanks are layered with a biofilm and sediment. So it could be confirmed, that raised amounts of organic material, pigeon faeces together with optimal temperatures which can be observed accidentally in rain water tanks can not enhance growth of enteropathogenic bacteria

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State of the art

By national law mandatory: 1. Free outlet as protection against backflow 20 mm air gap

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State of the art

Supplemental feed system Rainwater harvesting systems have to be provided with a supplemental feed system. The supplemental feed system has to ensure the operational reliability of the system when there is a drop below the minimum water volume. The quality of the water that is fed in on a supplemental basis has to be suitable for the intended purpose.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

State of the art

By national law mandatory: 2. Labeling the rainwater distribution pipes

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State of the art

Labelling Process water lines are to be clearly and permanently labelled according to the Drinking Water Act. In addition to this, process water lines are to be labelled with the notice Process Water or Rainwater or Not Drinking Water.

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State of the art

By national law mandatory: 3. Labeling the rainwater serving valves 4. The customer must notify the water supplier prior to the installation

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State of the art

A sign with a notice is to be installed close to the drinking water inlet of the house or on the water meter of the building. A graphic symbol according or a sign Not Drinking Water, is to be visibly and permanently attached to the removal points. Freely accessible removal points for rainwater are to be secured with a removable or lockable twist lever.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Airport terminal B, Frankfurt on Main

Rainwater utilisation for sprinkler and toilet flushing

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Airport terminal B, Frankfurt on Main

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Marburg tennis court

Importing rainwater from the neighbour

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Marburg tennis court

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Automobile washing plant Bommer, berlingen

Importing rainwater from the neighbour

Joint-Venture 3 winning parties

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Automobile washing plant Bommer, berlingen

Rainwater harvesting in industrial and commercial companies started first with car washing.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

Sony-Center, Berlin

Partly supplied office building Toilet flushing for 14 floors of 25

Economical compact distribution system

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Sony-Center, Berlin
Sony Center with rainwater harvesting Rain water is used for the toilet flushing and urinals in the Potsdamer Platz office tower, and for irrigation the recreational outdoor facilities. There is also a reserve supply in case of fire in the office tower. When the emergency storage is full, surplus water is diverted into the combined sewer system at a rate of 14 34 m/h. When no rainwater is available the system can be supplemented with municipal water.

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Rainwater harvesting and reuse

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