You Save Water. Save Costs. Save the environment. Become independent
Let Amatola Irrigation help you to correctly install a rainwater harvesting system, saving you water, saving you costs, saving the environment AND helping you become independent.
Could you capture rainwater and detach your property from the municipal water system or reduce your water bills while providing a back-up water system to cover you during outages?
Here are the questions to consider
How much water do I need?
In an average household, water is needed for drinking, cooking, toilet flushing, showering/bathing, laundry and irrigation. An assessment of your unique household needs will help determine the storage capacity required for a sustainable water system.
Water usage per person is between 100 – 200L per person per day
200L x 2(people) x 365 days = 146 000 L
How much water can I collect from my roof?
Determine the area of the collection surfaces (rooves) and analyse historical rainfall data, considering factors like rainfall intensity, duration, and frequency, to determine the volume of water that can be captured.
Roof area (m²) x rainfall (mm) = volume water that can be captured
How much space do I have for storage?
Identify suitable locations for rainwater storage tanks and ensure that there is a firm foundation – a full tank is heavy ±5150Kg. The more water you can store the more your saving will be in the long run. You can increase your storage capacity over time by adding more tanks.
What will I use the water for?
Every water harvesting system will require debris filters, mesh screens, and first flush systems to remove contaminants and sediment to keep the water flowing through the system.
Does my rainwater need to be treated?
Rainwater is generally safe for non-potable uses like irrigation, laundry and toilet flushing additional filtration will be required for potable water purposes, such as drinking or cooking.
What is the cost?
Have your own tank?
A fully equipped system with:
- 1 x Leaf Eater First Flush and down pipes from gutter outlet to tank
- 0.37Kw Booster pump with suction and discharge pipework
- 1 x Big Blue 20” filter
- Shut off valve and non-return valve to prevent backflow in to municipal mainline
Total R 14,900.00
Need a tank?
Add:
1 x 4750 L Rainwater Tank on a solid base
R 24 900.00
All prices include VAT and installation.
(The final price will be confirmed after a site inspection)
Common pitfalls
It is important to have the rainwater system properly designed and installed to avoid the following common pitfalls:
Structural Damage
Damage can be caused a poor foundation or support structure for the tank that can lead to tank tipping, cracking, or collapsing and the spillage of 5000l of water
Poor tank overflow and drainage management can cause waterlogging, soil erosion, or building foundation damage.
Inefficient Water Collection
Incorrect gutter slope, small or clogged downpipes and poor roof catchment design can lead to significant water loss and a rainwater system that doesn’t collect enough water to be useful.
System Blockages
No first-flush diverter or leaf screen causes debris to clog pipes and filters resulting in system failure or reduced efficiency and potential damage from backflow.
Contamination of Water Supply
Improper filtration, unclean catchment areas (e.g. dirty roofs), clogged collection pipes or poor storage tank hygiene can cause growth of bacteria, algae, and mosquito larvae making the water hazardous for human use.