SUPPLY CHAIN
Water, water
everywhere but not a
drop to drink
Despite the UK’s incessant wet weather, demand for water has increased so much
it is claimed we have less water per person than Egypt and Morocco.
East Green Energy explains how businesses can slash their water bills in half.
Y
OU MIGHT be planning have much greater roof areas, rainwater capture harvesting systems are getting cheaper, it is
a new build, adding eco- can be much greater becoming a feasible option. And, if you are
improvements to your offi ce Grave adds: “As water meters are rolled out struggling with a planning application - local
and/or home or facing a across the UK the savings can be considerable. authority departments look favourably on
sky-high utility bill - in any case, saving water To augment the collection of rain water many applications with rainwater harvesting systems.
should be high on your list of priorities. homes now include grey water that is recycled
Linda Grave, from East Green Energy, a and cleaned to add to their stored water.”
First steps
specialist in rainwater harvesting, says: “A As well as easing the strain on the local A rain harvester is designed to collect rainwater
staggering 60% of domestic usage could come reservoir, because the water is stored in a from a building roof via the down pipes, fi lter
from rainwater. There’s no need to fl ush toilets tank, water volume in sewers is decreased and out any leaves or particles and then store the
and wash clothes in expensive drinking water storm water run off is reduced helping to solve water for non-potable use.
when you’ve got plenty off your own roof.” fl ooding. This can include the supply of water for
As well as the environmental benefi ts, the A rain harvester can also provide an off- the garden, washing machines, dishwashers,
system can save up to 50% on domestic water mains supply for remote areas and gain the new fl ushing toilets through to washing.
bills and there is less worry about hosepipe bans Code for Sustainable Homes merits. Marcus Bicknell from RainWaterHarvesting.
in summer. Using rainwater is not a new concept, but co.uk, says: “The initial step for homeowners
According to Save the Rain Campaign, for the last 150 years its use was replaced by is to evaluate the average rain water for your
the roof on a ‘typical’ four bed family home cheap mains water. area, work out the size of your roof area and
captures more than 100,000 litres (100 m
3
) of The pressure is now on to start using what you are planning to use the water for.
rainwater a year and since commercial premises rainwater again. And now that quality rainwater Our website has a tank size calculator to size
32 SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS April 2009
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