Rainwater Harvesting and Collection

Surviving a water shortage – how rainwater harvesting is the way of the future

New Zealand, and particularly the North is no stranger to water restrictions with one in a 100-year droughts experienced in Auckland and other parts of the country over the past couple of decades.

So it stands to reason that regional authorities have, and will continue to, look at options to treat household water and encourage the installation of collection and re-use facilities.

Rainwater can be harvested and used for a range of different applications; for watering the garden or washing the car, for use in the laundry and toilet, or it can even be used as the sole water source for the family home including drinking water. Depending on how you want to use the rainwater there are several options available.

What do you need to harvest rainwater?

Due to the ongoing concerns with municipal water supply, many new builds are now required to have some sort of rainwater harvesting specified, but what specific tools do you need to harvest rainwater?

• Water tank. Most rainwater is harvested directly off the roof of your home and travels down through pipes to a water tank, that sits either above or below the ground.
• Gutter guards. While not essential, gutter guards help reduce organic matter from entering the water tank. Regular tank sterilisation is also recommended.
• Water pump. You’ll need a pump (submersible or surface) to transfer the water from the tank to where it needs to go. The size of the pump will depend on what you are using the water for e.g., the whole house or just the garden.
• Automatic controller. We also recommend a controller such as the Davey Rainbank, which automatically selects the water source you draw from—with rainwater given priority over mains supply. Mains water will be supplied when the tank is empty or in the event of a power outage.