Build FutureBuild Future

Library · Water

Rainwater harvesting: the cheapest tank you will ever install

A 100 m² roof in a 600 mm/year climate yields roughly 48 m³ of usable water. Filtration, first-flush diverters and tank sizing decide whether it stays drinkable.

By BFN Editorial DeskBFN Editorial Desk3 min

≈48 m³/year per 100 m² roof

A 100 m² roof in a 600 mm/year climate yields roughly 48 m³ of usable water. Filtration, first-flush diverters and tank sizing decide whether it stays drinkable.

Size the tank for the dry spell, not the annual total: 30 days of demand is the usual rule. A first-flush diverter of 0.5 l/m² of roof removes most of the dust and bird load, and a dark, sealed tank keeps algae out without chemicals. Potable use needs filtration plus UV, and in most jurisdictions a backflow-protected separation from the mains.

Open knowledge — CC BY-SA 4.0. Copy it, correct it, cite it.

Share this

Keep reading

Related entries

Discussion

Comments

Your voice

Share your thoughts for a better world. Your ideas matter.

Post your ideas, your work and your projects — a detail, a measurement, a mistake, a bill. Every contribution leaves something behind for sustainable buildings, and helps someone build warmer, cheaper and safer.

Commenting is open to the movement. Choose one of two doors:

  • Join the movement → your name is shown and your profile page collects everything you publish.
  • Subscribe → you comment as “Subscriber”, without a public profile.
  • Reading is open to everyone.

Loading comments…