Pick ‘N Pay Green

Posted on March 6, 2011 by T.J.

In 2009, Pick n Pay launched PnP Green, a range of household products geared towards saving the environment. The products have been manufactured according to the highest global environmental standards.

The range is the first to be endorsed by government’s Indalo Yethu initiative, which aims to promote green and eco-friendly practices as a way of life through its various economic and social development programmes (visit www.indaloyethu.co.za for more information regarding this initiative).

All products within the range have surpassed international environmental standard requirements and are manufactured according Canadian Enviro- Performance standards*.

The products contain no volatile organic compounds, sodium lauryl sulphate, ammonia or chlorine. The contents are non-toxic to humans, animals, plants, septic tanks and aquatic life and once used will biodegrade within six days. We at Water Preserve encourage all users to go for this products as this will help combat the dangers facing us and provide a sustainable solution to a livable earth.

The range comprises:

  • 750ml all-purpose gel cleaner
  • 750ml kitchen cleaner
  • 750ml dishwashing liquid
  • 750ml marble and granite cleaner
  • 750ml glass and mirror cleaner
  • 750ml carpet and fabric cleaner
  • 750ml floor and tile cleaner
  • 750ml bathroom cleaner
  • 750ml toilet cleaner
  • 750ml pre-wash treatment
  • 1 l liquid fabric detergent
  • 1 l fabric softener
  • 300ml multi-service degreaser (concentrate)
  • 300ml liquid hand wash
  • Laundry beads
  • 3 in 1 dishwashing tablets

For more info on PnP green products visit http://www.africageographic.com/magazines/africa-geographic/documents/Water.pdf

Categories: Greywater Recycling, Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Slimline Water Tank

Posted on February 8, 2011 by T.J.

Introducing from JoJo Tanks – JoJo Slimline™ Tank. Perfect for rainwater harvesting and water security, this streamlined compact design is ideally suited for urban areas where space is a consideration.

VERY SEXY

Jojo Slimline


The elegant JoJo Slimline is 1800mm x 750mm, holds 750lt of water and fits easily through a regular door frame. Its ergonomic design ensures that it fits around corners and down narrow walkways of urban homes. You can also simply connect a few Slimlines in a series should you wish to maximise your water storage capacity.

THE ART OF COLOUR
The JoJo Slimline is manufactured in a wide variety of colours to match most home colour schemes. Special colours can be manufactured at an additional cost.

DID YOU KNOW…
When buying an authentic JoJo Tank, you are buying guaranteed quality

  • Every JoJo Tank carries a 5-year product guarantee.
  • Only the best quality food grade virgin materials are used ensuring that JoJo Tanks will stand the test of time.
  • All tanks are UV resistant as they are lined with a carbon black food safety accredited lining material to stop algae growth ensuring that stored water remains safe to use
  • JoJo tanks are manufactured in a variety of colours and sizes to satisfy clients’ requirements. At an additional cost, tanks can also be manufactured in specific colours to match your home.


The JoJo Slimline™ is fitted with

  • An inlet / overflow with a 40 mm female thread
  • A bottom outlet with a 40mm tank connector; fitted with a thumbscrew
  • A sieve with a stainless steel mesh to keep out leaves and mosquitoes.
  • A black, child-safe clip-on lid to keep the dust out and to ensure that no algae grows in the tank.
  • A brass 20mm lockable tap strategically positioned to allow easy access to a watering can or a bucket.
Categories: rain harvesting, rainwater storage | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Jeremy Taylor “Water resources – Shortage looms Prepare for a drought”

Posted on February 3, 2011 by T.J.

Authored by Stafford Thomas, Thursday, 3 Feb 2011 (on www.fm.co.za)

Jeremy Westgarth-Taylor of Water Rhapsody Conservation Systems

The maximum consumption that SA’s water resources can sustain will be reached in about five years, warns Engineering Council of SA vice-president Thoko Majozi.

With floods causing havoc in seven provinces, it may be hard to believe that a water shortage of crisis proportions is looming. The maximum consumption that SA’s water resources can sustain will be reached in about five years, warns Engineering Council of SA vice-president Thoko Majozi.

“We have known for decades that SA will run out of water,” says Majozi. “It’s time everyone recognised that we live in a water-scarce country.”

So scarce that SA is the world’s 30th-driest country, says Jeremy Taylor, founder of Water Rhapsody. He adds that SA has less water per person than its drier neighbours Botswana and Namibia. SA has seen a little of what a prolonged drought can do in the Western Cape, where towns such as Sedgefield, Mossel Bay and Knysna have resorted to costly seawater desalination to stave off disaster.

But that’s nothing compared to what is heading Cape Town’s way, warns Taylor. He explains that the La Niña climate pattern causing floods in the northern provinces will have the reverse effect in the winter rainfall area. Backing his view is a prediction by the weather service at Cape Town International Airport indicating rainfall 33% below normal during the city’s wettest months, April, May and June. “Water reserves in dams serving Cape Town are falling at a record 2,8%/week and will be at about 45% when the first rains fall,” says Taylor. If dams are not 80% full by October, expect restrictions aimed at cutting consumption by 30%, he adds. This will only be the start of Cape Town’s water crisis . If the normal seven-year rain cycle holds, 2012 and possibly 2013 will also be dry years, he predicts. It can’t build more dams, so Cape Town is turning to other solutions, says the mayoral committee member for utility services, Clive Justus.

Among these is a R750m upgrade of water reticulation systems in an effort to cut water loss from burst water mains and leaks, which in 2008 accounted for 19% of the city’s water use. But, says Justus, replacing Cape Town’s 10800km of water mains is impossible and the city is looking at other options, including extracting water from the Table Mountain Group aquifer. Justus says an R8m drilling project is under way.

Taylor argues that the initiative is fraught with risks, such as damaging water sources along the aquifer, which extends to Port Elizabeth. Majozi agrees. “Often when people react to a crisis they do not think clearly of long- term consequences,” he says. The answer, stress Taylor and Majozi, is water conservation, including recycling and reuse of water from basins, washing machines, baths and showers by households.

Termed grey water, it constitutes up to 70% of household water usage, which in turn represents about 30% of SA’s water usage. By using grey water in toilets and for gardens, and adopting measures such as collection of rainwater in tanks, households can cut water use by up to 70%, says Taylor.

For Gauteng households the outlook is not as bleak. Majozi says the province has secure supplies from the Vaal River and Lesotho — for now. But, he warns, Gauteng faces a serious problem of another type: pollution of its water supplies by industry. Industry accounts for only 10% of water consumed but causes immense damage to the environment, including rivers, says Majozi.

Proven technology is available to solve the problem without disrupting the production process. “I don’t understand why it’s not being done,” he says. “If we don’t act now it will be too late,” Majozi warns. He says decisions taken now will determine whether we lurch from one water crisis to another or become a country that secures optimal use of a scarce resource as vital as energy to economic development.

Categories: Water Rhapsody | Leave a comment

Flood Risk Control – Do I need Insurance?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by T.J.

When the Water Rises…

Disasters usually have a way of reminding us of important lessons. In all the disasters that occur upon us, the lesson will always be the same: to always be prepared.

So, who's gonna pay for all this?

The Vaal – January 2011: Out on the banks of this mighty South African river emerged a lack of preparedness on a variety of levels. On a basic level, most citizens lacked flood insurance, even though the river breaks its banks almost every year. In fact, it was estimated that a large chunk of residents had no insurance not lacked any form of flood insurance.

Many policyholders do not realize that basic homeowners insurance does not include protection from flood damage. Instead, the Department of Water Affairs does administer disaster relief through a government  program. Private insurers can also cover for damages if everything has been accounted for in taking a policy. Preparedness is the key, taking the risk of flooding is the key.

In many cases, if your home is in a high-risk area for flooding, you must get flood insurance in order to get a mortgage. In the wake of the recent US disasters of Hurricane Katrina and later, Hurricane Rita, many called for flood insurance to become mandatory in high and even medium-risk areas. Just as auto insurance is about to become mandatory as required by the government, flood insurance could be too. Increased participation would also mean much lower rates, the more people who sign up, the cheaper the insurance is.

Flood insurance is actually quite affordable. But that has yet to increase its popularity. According to insure.com, only one-quarter of the world’s most vulnerable homes are insured, even though statistics have shown that their homes are much more likely to be flooded than be destroyed by fire.

And most cases, flooding isn’t the only damage to homes andbusinesses. Looting and fires can end up destroying many possessions because these properties will be evacuated in any case, rendering limited security and hence easy access for individuals on the prowl.

Prices depend entirely on the amount of coverage you wish to purchase and the area your home is located in. The “average” cost of flood insurance is about R438 for a year. Costs for the insurance can range from around R2,000 a year in a flood-prone area for R250,000 in building coverage with R100,000 coverage for the contents. If you simply live near a flood zone, instead of in it, the prices for R35,000 in building coverage and R10,000 for the contents will cost about R300 a year. This is for people who live in a low to medium risk area.

Recently, flood insurance providers in the Vaal and Orange, two flood-prone areas, have received a large increase in calls asking about flood insurance policies. This may be a sign that the disaster in the two major South African water transmission bodies has helped to remind people of the need for preparation.

Flood insurance may not be right for you, and you may not live in a high-risk area. But at any given moment, many formerly safe areas can be flood-prone and the results can be devastating. The recent floods all over the country (and most of the tropical world, i.e. Brasil, Australia, Sri Lanka, etc) have taught us all to be more prepared in the event of a disaster and one of the best ways to make sure your home and possessions are safe, is to buy flood insurance.

How can I avoid flood damage?

  • Keep a close eye and ear on weather reports and disaster warnings
  • If a flood warning has been issued in your area and you’re unsure as to your cover, contact your insurance provider to double-check any details before setting off on a journey.
  • If there is time before a flood strikes, move your car to a safe place – higher ground, for example – out of the reach of the floodwater.
  • If you need to be on the road, before embarking on your journey plan your route and alternative routes well in advance.
  • Research alternative routes in the event of road closures in flood-prone areas.
  • If you need to travel during flood conditions, be sure to leave plenty of time for your journey.
  • Make sure you let someone know of the planned itinerary of your journey, including departure times and an approximate return time – this information can be valuable to emergency services should you become stranded.
  • Pack a small bag with a change of clothes, food and drink and a fully charged mobile phone in case of emergency.
  • You need to approach driving in heavy rain with caution!

(Special mention to the Arrive Alive initiative and OutSurance for reference)

Categories: Greywater Recycling, Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, rain harvesting, rain water, rainwater storage, reclaimed water, sewage | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A brief overview of the Water Rhapsody Systems of Conservation

Posted on January 21, 2011 by T.J.

A brief overview of the Water Rhapsody Systems of Conservation

A. WATER SAVING

I. Garden Rhapsody Grey Water Re-Using System.

This system uses grey water, (water from baths showers, hand basins and the laundry) for re-use for irrigating the garden.

Installations to date: We have now in excess of 3000 installations in houses, including all members that started the Fresh Water Research Unit at UCT, and Prof and Louise Asmal, retired Minister, Water Affairs and Forestry then education.

Water Savings: 33%.  Sewerage volume saving: 50%.

II. Water Rhapsody Multi-Flush. (To reduce toilet flushing)

This very simple system uses municipal water   and we install the kits into a normal cistern, either as new, or retro-fit.  The user will use up to 90% less water for flushing. The mechanism merely flushes as long as you hold the flush in operation.  The flushing stops when you release the handle.

Installations to date:  more than 16000, including the whole of UCT, upper, middle and lower as well as the medical school campuses.  The university is using only 10% of the water previously consumed before 2002.

Water savings:  22% of total domestic use.  Sewerage saving:  30%.

III. WATER RHAPSODY SECOND MOVEMENT.

This system re-uses grey water to flush toilets. Grey water as defined in the Garden Rhapsody above runs into a pump chamber via a sieve device, and is stored underground. Push on a bell push, in the toilet, a pump starts, and pumps the grey water directly into the pan. No toilet cistern is required for this purpose.

Several systems have been installed Cape Town only. The Old Mutual installed these at a Crèche on their premises in Pinelands.  This system consists of 30 toilets, and is trouble free.

Savings: 33% if house has an irrigated garden and 45% if there is no garden.

IV. WATER RHAPSODY POOLSIDE TANK

We provide a system to re-use swimming pool sand filter backwash water, and to return this water to the pool. The process involves receiving this water in a tank adding a flocculent and allowing the clarified water to return to the pool.

Saving of water: The savings of water are 500 litres of water for each backwash, the salt lost from a salt water system, and the top up of lost water. The saving to the environment is far greater, as this water is not wanted in sewerage nor storm water systems.

Installations: Hundreds of installations in Cape Town, and several at the Phezula housing estate outside Knysna.  The developers at Phezula insist that this be installed to prevent the effluent from pools running into the Knoetzie River.

B.      WATER AUGMENTAION.

The above are the sum total of the ways to use less water.  The result of these savings means that the average use of water is reduced from 240 litres of water per day to 120 litres per day, without changing your lifestyle.  This then ends the demand management section of the Water Rhapsody Systems of Conservation.

What follows is how to augment supply.  In very simple arithmetic, if you have twenty thousand houses, each able to store ten thousand litres of water (two five thousand litre water tanks) you would store two hundred million litres of water, or to put this into a readable form, 200 000 kilolitres of water.  Remember that water was recently trucked in water trucks to Sedgefield when this town ran out of water.  The volume of water stored in these tanks in Knysna would be equivalent to forty thousand of these trucks.  Parked nose to tail this would occupy 200 kilometers of road space.

The Water Rhapsody System of Conservation to harvest rain water, combines rain storage and Municipal water pumped to the whole house except for drinking purposes.

V. WATER GRAND OPUS. (A system to augment water supply by harvesting and storing rain water and pumping this water to the whole house)

This system is in five parts:

1.    Harvesting and sieving rain water from roofs with our Water Rhapsody Rain Runner, a self cleaning sieving device to separate any debris leaves etc from a roof gutter, and sending this water to rain tank by gravity in underground pipes that can not block.

2.    Water storage in plastic water tanks of various sizes.

3.    Pumping rain water to the whole house except the kitchen. (You drink only municipal water.)

4.    Municipal water:  Each system is provided with a ball valve to give an emergency supply should you run short of rain water.  You are then able to carry on pumping this water to the house should there be water outages.

5.    Override.  In the event that you have consumed all the rain water, once the level drops below the ball valve level, municipal water will flow into the water tank/s providing storage of water for emergency purposes.

This combination of systems have been installed into dozens of houses and commercial buildings in Cape Town and surrounding towns, including that of Clem and Margaret Sunter in Simonstown.

Further Advantages

1.         Water leaks:  A further benefit of such a system is the possibility of lowering the water pressure in municipal pipelines.  Such a lowering of pressure would have the obvious consequence of reducing the possibility of burst pipelines to zero, but also very importantly will almost completely eliminate the “unaccounted for” water.  Every municipality has a large proportion (average is 20%) of their municipal water go missing.  This water runs from the water treatment works, but no bill is sent out to consumers, because it has not been measured through consumer’s water meters.  Somewhere this water has gone missing, presumable in leaky pipelines. Reduce the pressure and the result is a reduction in leaks and unaccounted for water on an exponential scale of 1.2!  The municipality could save literally millions of kilolitres for water that that they themselves have to pay for by reducing the pressure in pipelines to say one Bar (or 100kPa), and householders would be able to pressurize their own water.

2.         Flash floods:  Since hardening of surfaces by building roads and building houses with roofs, flash flooding occurs.  Water from roofs has traditionally been fed to the street, and this water together with water running from road surfaces has lead to flooding of low lying areas.  Engineers have traditionally sought to doing repairs, by arguing for the building of huge culverts and canals, instead of looking to the source of this water.  Our systems would go a long way to relieving the stress or even the elimination of these flood problems.

Complying with Ministers wishes

In 1994 the first Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry Prof. Kader Asmal commissioned a report, titled “The Western Cape Systems Analysis”, which outlined future growth needs for water.  The report was very simple:

Ways must be found to use less water and Ways should be found to augment supply.

My systems would not only provide the benefits of getting people to use less water as well as augmenting supply, but remover the huge cost to Knysna of tanking water by road if these systems were implemented by  your municipality.

Disadvantages:  There are no disadvantages of any sort known to date for all of these systems.

Categories: Greywater Recycling, Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, rain harvesting, rain water, rainwater storage, reclaimed water, sewage | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Underground Rainwater Tanks

Posted on January 12, 2011 by T.J.

Underground rainwater tanks are the tanks best used for harvesting rainwater. Rain water harvesting, as we all know is a great way to preserve water and to make optimum use of natural resources. The rain water stored in an underground tank created can then be used for various purposes like agriculture, industrial use and so on.

Underground water tanks installation is helpful in different ways. Rainwater, in most cases cannot be used for drinking purposes directly. Tasks like car washing, gardening etc. can be completed through the usage of stored water. Underground water tanks are a major initiative in order to avoid the wastage of water. In some areas, water from rainwater tanks can also be used for drinking water purposes. It is not a difficult method to install the tanks in your household.

Although the cost incurred initially can be high for such tanks but the value and the savings they offer makes the cost worth while. Various kinds of underground tanks are available in the market today. Tanks made up of every kind of material are used for water storage purposes. The tanks are divided in to four major categories wherein you can choose the best possible tanks for your house as per your need and quality.

The four major categories of the tanks can be summed up as follows:

  • Tanks made up of steel or aluminum are of high quality and approved by steel tank authorities. They are highly durable and last for a long period of time.
  • Tank made up of metal and coated with glass fibers or plastic over the metal cylinder protect the tank from corrosion and unwanted rust thus increasing the life span of the tank.
  • Metal matrix composite is the type of tank made up of composite material with an inner lining made up of aluminum and steel or they can even be made up of fiber glasses or carbon filter.
  • Thermoplastic tanks are carbon tanks made up of polymer linings and are very composite in structure.
Categories: Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, rain harvesting, rain water, rainwater storage, reclaimed water | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rainwater Storage – repost

Posted on December 16, 2010 by T.J.

A rainwater tank: Rainwater tanks are devices storing harvested rain from roofs

Rainwater tanks are installed to make use of rain water for later use, reduce on ones reliance for mains water use both for economic and environmental reasons but especially to aid self-sufficiency.

“Rain as pure as the driven snow falls from the sky”.  Rain is really distilled water precipitating after condensing at high altitude where temperatures are low.  It matters not whether water falling from the sky is rain hail sleet or snow, it is all water and may be harvested.

The following is a guide to rainwater tanks and rainwater harvesting in South Africa.

Stored rainwater may be used for watering gardens, agriculture, flushing toilets, for washing machines, both laundry and dishwashing, washing cars, and also for drinking, especially when other water supplies are unavailable, expensive, or of poor quality, and that adequate care is taken that the water is not contaminated or the water is adequately filtered.

Submerged ground rainwater tanks may also be used for retention of storm-water (water from roof and paved areas) for release at a later time, though this is not suitable for use in the home.  Conventional rainwater ranks are not designed simply to put underground and backfilled with soil.  These will collapse and may pop out of the ground if empty.  Special underground tanks are built, but are very expensive otherwise a special room may be built with a concrete floor and roof with brick walls, all of which possibly make underground tanks unviable, but if this is the only source of water may this be necessary.

Rainwater tanks may have a high (perceived) initial cost. However, many homes use small scale rainwater tanks to harvest relatively small quantities of water for landscaping/gardening applications rather than as a potable (drinkable) water surrogate.  While all need to be to screen out mosquitoes, the lack of proper filtering or closed loop systems will create breeding grounds for mosquito larvae. An example of the screening process I with the Water Rhapsody Rain Runner, which filters harvested rainwater near the gutter, and this water may then enter an underground pipe to reach a remote rainwater tank.

If rainwater is used for drinking, it should be filtered first. Filtration (such as reverse osmosis or ultra-filtration) will remove all pathogens.  (Reverse osmosis is energy hungry and for rainwater this method of filtration should never be required.) Other filtration consists of ozone and UV (ultra violet) treatment.  Reports of illness associated with rainwater tanks are very infrequent, and public health studies anywhere have not identified a correlation. Rainwater is generally considered fit to drink if it smells, tastes and looks fine.

Certain paints and roofing materials may cause contamination. In particular, lead-based paints should never be used even as a primer onto metal surfaces. Tar-based coatings may affect the taste of the water.  Chemically treated timbers and lead flashing should be excluded from roof catchments.

Maintenance of rainwater catchment areas includes regular removal of vegetation and debris from rain gutters.  So long as a rainwater tank is kept closed to preclude light from entering, no algae will grow, so the only maintenance that needs to be done is perhaps removal of the sediment on the floor of the tank once a year.

Rainwater tanks may be constructed from materials such as plastic (polyethylene), concrete, plastered brickwork, galvanized steel, as well as fibreglass and stainless steel which are rust and chemical-resistant. By far the most popular and cost effective rainwater ranks are the plastic polyethylene tanks which are freely available from several manufacturers.  It is imperative that the tanks are opaque to prevent the exposure of stored water to sunlight, to eliminate the possibility of algal growth.

Another imperative is that rainwater tanks should have a pre-filter under the eaves like the Water Rhapsody Rain Runner to prevent debris from entering the water tank/s and also to prevent any possibility of the feed pipe from a downpipe leading to the water tank (the ring main) from blocking. This pre-filter also prevents the ingress of mosquitos.

Apart from rooftops, tanks may also be set up to collect rainwater from concrete patios, driveways and other impervious surfaces.  This water though may only be used for irrigation and toilet flushing, as it may be soiled from pedestrian and other animal use.

Initial sizes typically ranged in capacity from around 200 to 10,000 litres, or multiples of these. The most popular sizes are 2500 litres and 5000 litres, which are easily handled and are not unsightly.

Smaller tanks, such as the plastic 200-liter rainwater tanks are also used in some cases. These smaller tanks are mainly used in conjunction with a Garden Rhapsody Grey Water Re-using System.  With this arrangement water tanks fitted above ground may flow by gravity into the Garden Rhapsody which has a pump incorporated into it and will pump the rain / grey water onto the garden.  This can even be done automatically by trickle feeding the water from the higher rain tank/s into the Garden Rhapsody at all times, so that rain water flowing into the rain tank/s will not fill a tank that is full already, no matter how small the tank is.

Larger tanks are commonly used where there is no access to a municipal water supply.  In this instance at no extra charge, Water Rhapsody will recommend a tank at a house taking into consideration a whole host of factors like: roof type surface (tile or metal), roof area in square metres, number of people drawing water from the rainwater tank, whether or not one has the rest of the Water Rhapsody systems in place to reduce ones consumption, and whether the house is a home, holiday home or a commercial or industrial building. To give an example of this calculation, (this was done by actuaries for Water Rhapsody): a typical metal roof will deliver 1000 litres of water from 100 square metres of roof for every 11 mm of rain.  To get the same volume of water from a tiled roof one would need 16 mm of rain.  Each middle class person uses 240 litres of water daily, so the draw from the rain tanks is very substantial.  If one should install only two of the Water Rhapsody Systems to say: re-use grey water and the Water Rhapsody Multi-Flush to minimize toilet flushing, one reduces the demand for water to at worst half (of the 240 litres to 120 litres per person per day), but mostly down to as little as to 80 to 100 litres per person per day.  Stored Rainwater then goes so much further without a change in lifestyle.  The value of this calculation ensures that there is enough storage so that rainwater tanks need never overflow, and that one does not overspend on too many rainwater tanks that never fill.

All our water supplies will dry up very soon, which makes rainwater harvesting essential.  A strategy microcosm of rainwater harvesting has been used by Jeremy Westgarth –Taylor of Water Rhapsody for the area of Knysna.  This area has no storage dam, and relies totally on the water flowing from a river weir. The supply of water from the weir can no longer meet demand.  Jeremy’s strategy would be to force everyone to install rainwater tanks to harvest rainwater from roofs, ban outright any irrigation from any other source other than grey water, and minimize toilet flushing water.  Because the area is mostly a holiday destination, the volume of stored water together with the reduction of water demand would mean that the town of Knysna would create a large dam of many individual tanks.  The total volume of stored water could be as much as 70 million litres. This would mean that the need for municipal water would be needed for two or three weeks per year, at the end of each holiday season, if at all.  Knysna and the surrounding towns can expand no further.

The strategy formula for Knysna is a microcosm of what is imperative for implementation country wide.

Without general implementation of rainwater harvesting all South African towns’ cities and villages will not be able to continue expanding QED.

The following is the typical use of water from rainwater storage tanks.

Most areas have seasonal rainfall.  Very few have rain all year round.  Water Rhapsody has devised a system whereby water stored in rainwater tanks is use during the rain season.  This applies to areas supplied with municipal water but not able to meet demand.

Amortization of the cost of installation of rainwater tanks. Amortization (paying off the capital) of rainwater tanks with the Water Rhapsody Grand Opus is best done by filling and emptying the rainwater tank/s as often as possible. As many times as any rainwater tank/s can possibly fill from rainwater from roofs, these should be drawn down to empty to avoid them overflowing next time rain should fall.  Overflowing tanks mean that there is not enough rainwater storage in place or not enough people to consume water in the house. Rainwater tanks that never fill mean that too much storage has been put into place, or that there are too many people drawing from this water.

Water outages and emergency supply. Water Rhapsody has implemented a novel approach of an emergency supply if all rain water should be exhausted.  This is coupled with an emergency supply when the municipality implement water outages as a means of demand management when demand exceeds supply.  This system included in the Water Rhapsody Grand Opus is a means of keeping a days supply at all times when the municipality literally switches off the water.  The system is full proof to ensure that it is impossible your precious stored rainwater cannot flow out into the municipal system.

Electricity outages. Electricity outages are something that pervades our age.  Water Rhapsody include in the Water Rhapsody Grand Opus an override manifold so that if the user has no UPS (uninterrupted Power Supply) water will still be able to be used from a municipal source, if this does not coincide with a water outage. By simply switching valves, one may revert to municipal water.

Water Pressures. Rainwater pumped from rainwater tanks into a house with the Water Rhapsody Grand Opus may not exceed the pressure allowed for hot water cylinders of whatever type one uses.  It is for this reason that Water Rhapsody has included within the override box an adjustable pressure reducing valve to suit the needs of any hot water cylinder if one should revert to municipal water supply. Whilst the rain water is pumped into the house one is quite safe from over pressurization as the Water Rhapsody pump is set to the correct pressure too.

Positioning of rainwater tanks.  One of the biggest problems of rainwater tanks is their obtrusiveness.  The size of the tanks has made it impractical to have them standing on a property literally outside a door or window. The perception despite their usefulness is that they are ugly.  The beauty of the Water Rhapsody Rain Runner is that water tank/s no longer need to be positioned where they have traditionally been perceived.  Now rainwater tanks may be positioned anywhere on a property as long as the height of the Water Rhapsody Rain Runner is higher than the head of the rainwater tank/s.  The Water Rhapsody Rain Runner will sieve the rainwater of any debris to get this clean water to flow by gravity in an underground ring main around a building, to flow into rainwater tank/s.  There are usually numerous outlets from a roof, so each of the rainwater outlets are teed into the ring main.

Other interesting snippets regarding rainwater.

Lightning.  During lightning storms some nitrogen in very small quantities is dissolved into the rain.  This quantity is far too small to do any harm.

Lichen.  Lichen is a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and algae, and the one cannot live without the other. This tuft of very precious growth on a tiled roof is one of the best indicators of pollution.  So long as lichen grows on a roof the water that falls on that roof is safe for household use.  Beware if all the lichen dies. Many people think that this growth is unsightly and should be removed and the roof painted.  This is not true and ill advised.  Leave the lichen alone.

Categories: Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, rain harvesting, rain water, rainwater storage, reclaimed water | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Understanding Grey Water Recycling

Posted on December 14, 2010 by T.J.

Article copyright: Ron Lovell with thanks

Grey water recycling is a growing trend that has caught on in the wake of the current surge in environmental awareness. Grey water is simply the waste water leftover after performing daily household activities. The water that is drained from the sink, shower and washing machine are all considered to be grey water. The only household waste water that is not included in this classification is that which comes from the toilet. Grey water recycling is simply finding uses for this water, rather than letting it enter the sewage or septic system.

Benefits Of Grey Water Recycling

There are many benefits of recycling grey water, helping both individuals and the planet. For those who use grey water for irrigation, landscaping and other outdoor uses, such as washing cars, standard water consumption is reduced and water bills will be lower. Grey water recycling also reduces the amount of space that is taken up in septic and sewage systems. Ecologically, grey water has been reported to add nutrients to the soil, improve the quality of ground and surface water over treated water and to support the growth of plants in areas that do not have enough natural water sources to do so.

Large Scale Grey Water Recycling

There are many commercial grey water recycling systems that can be purchased and set up for large scale dwellings. Many hotels, colleges and apartment complexes have these in place to help reduce the water consumption of their properties. In these systems, grey water is separated from standard septic water, by its own system of drainage pipes. This water is then used for the toilets and outdoor water outlets, in lieu of wasting fresh water for these tasks.

Grey Water Recycling At Home

There are many plumbing solutions that can be set up within a residential home to reuse the grey water that is generally wasted on a daily basis. For those with just a bit of plumbing knowledge, some of these systems are simple to set up on your own, while others can be professionally installed. Even at the most basic, grey water can be drained into barrels, then used to wash cars, water lawns and perform other outdoor tasks.

Grey water recycling will likely see more exposure in the future and as new developments are made, there should be more approved uses for this waste water. Consumers and property owners who are serious about reducing their own negative impact on the planet should seriously consider recycling their grey water to help improve the environment. It is a cost effective solution that can benefit everyone.

Author Resource:-> Ron Lovell can be found at: www.gogreen50.com

Categories: Greywater Recycling, Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, reclaimed water | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Greywater – Part 2

Posted on December 8, 2010 by T.J.

Greywater – Cont………….

3. Greywater Recycling


The cistern of the toilet in the picture is filled by greywater from the sink above it.

Most greywater is easier to treat and recycle than blackwater, because of lower levels of contaminants. While all greywater contains micro-organisms, the health hazards associated with greywater from a multiple-dwelling source should be considered differently from that of a single dwelling greywater source.

If collected using a separate plumbing system from blackwater, domestic greywater can be recycled directly within the home, garden or company and used either immediately or processed and stored. Recycled greywater of this kind is never safe to drink, but a number of stages of filtration and microbial digestioncan be used to provide water for washing or flushing toilets. Some greywater may be applied directly from the sink to the garden or container field, receiving further treatment from soil life and plant roots. Given that greywater may contain nutrients, pathogens, and is often discharged warm, it is very important not to store it before use in irrigation purposes, unless it is properly treated first.

3.1.1   The benefits of greywater recycling

* Lower fresh water use

Greywater can replace fresh water in many instances, saving money and increasing the effective water supply in regions where irrigation is needed. Residential water use is almost evenly split between indoor and outdoor. All except toilet water could be recycled outdoors, achieving the same result with significantly less water diverted from nature.

* Less strain on septic tank or treatment plant

Greywater use greatly extends the useful life and capacity of septic systems. For municipal treatment systems, decreased wastewater flow means higher treatment effectiveness and lower costs.

* Highly effective purification

Greywater is purified to a spectacularly high degree in the upper, most biologically active region of the soil. This protects the quality of natural surface and ground waters.

* Site unsuitable for a septic tank

For sites with slow soil percolation or other problems, a greywater system can be a partial or complete substitute for a very costly, over-engineered system.

* Less energy and chemical use

Less energy and chemicals are used due to the reduced amount of both freshwater and wastewater that needs pumping and treatment. For those providing their own water or electricity, the advantage of a reduced burden on the infrastructure is felt directly. Also, treating your wastewater in the soil under your own fruit trees definitely encourages you to dump fewer toxic chemicals down the drain.

* Groundwater recharge

Greywater application in excess of plant needs recharges groundwater.

* Plant growth

Greywater enables a landscape to flourish where water may not otherwise be available to support much plant growth.

* Reclamation of otherwise wasted nutrients

Loss of nutrients through wastewater disposal in rivers or oceans is a subtle, but highly significant form of erosion. Reclaiming nutrients in grey water helps to maintain the fertility of the land.

* Increased awareness of and sensitivity to natural cycles

Greywater use yields the satisfaction of taking responsibility for the wise husbandry of an important resource.

More to come……… I’ll keep you posted

Categories: Greywater Recycling, Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, rain water, reclaimed water, sewage | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Greywater – Part 1

Posted on December 7, 2010 by T.J.

What is Greywater? The next few posts will give you – the reader – an insight into “what is” greywater? I’ll break it down into bite sized chunks starting with the first chunk:

1. Definition

Greywater is wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry,  and bathing, which can be recycled on-site for uses such as landscape irrigation and constructed wetlands. Greywater differs from water from the toilets which is designated sewage or blackwater to indicate it contains human waste.

Greywater composes 50–80% of residential wastewater generated from all of the house’s sanitation equipment (except toilets).

Greywater gets its name from its cloudy appearance and from its status as being between fresh potable water (known as “white water”) and sewage water (“black water”). In a household context, greywater is the leftover water from baths, showers, hand basins and washing machines only. Any water from any contaminating sources such as toilets or dishwashers is considered black water.

2. Elimination of Greywater

Domestic wastewater is usually combined at the sewer, so that grey- and blackwaters are removed together using a shared sewerage system in a process called elimination.

Sewage water can then be treated to limit pollution and health risks, before being returned to the environment at large. Most greywater ends up as effluent in rivers and oceans in this way.

There are other alternatives to eliminating greywater that allow for efficient use; using it to irrigate plants is a common practice. The plants use contaminants of greywater, such as food particles, as nutrients in their growth. However, salt and soap residues can be toxic to microbial and plant life alike, but can be absorbed and degraded through constructed wetlands and aquatic plants such as sedges and grasses.

Tune in back tomorrow this time for more……………….

Categories: Greywater Recycling, Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, sewage | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments