- Want to keep your garden green in a hot dry summer – even if there’s a hosepipe ban?
- Want to reduce your water bills?
- Need a ready supply of water on the farm or nursery for irrigation or livestock?
The answer is to take advantage of a free resource when it falls from the sky – and this is rainwater harvesting. Simply put, the water is collected from a roof or roofs and stored in a tank ready for use. There are no legal implications or environmental restrictions on this if it is simply rainwater harvesting and use.
Now is the best time of year to install these systems, as we reach the end of the dry season. Whether it is heavy rain from thunderstorms, light showers or steady rain, a properly installed rainwater harvesting system will maximise the benefit rather than it going to waste in drains and soakaways.
Water Butts with a difference
A water butt is the most basic, and probably best known, method of rainwater harvesting. It simply collects the water from a roof guttering via the downpipe (and possibly a diverter) into a tank where it is drawn off via a simple bib tap.
But when is a water butt not just a water butt? The answer is when it becomes a garden feature – disguised as a large urn, a barrel, even a tree stump! Tanks-UK showcased this intriguing range of water butts at Cereals 2022. Please ask us for details if you are interested in one of these amazing functional garden features. They are very realistic.
Rainwater harvesting in agriculture
Tanks-UK have provided rainwater harvesting systems for a number of farms, consisting of downpipes and filters going into two or more large storage tanks and drawing the water from the roof of a large agricultural building. In most of these instances Enduramaxx vertical water tanks were used.
If you prefer underground water storage to save on ground space, Tanks-UK supply Enduramaxx, Harlequin and Atlantis (Plastic) or SPEL (GRP) underground water storage tanks with filters and pumps for a complete rainwater harvest system.
Irrigation tanks for commercial rainwater harvesting
Tree nurseries and plant nurseries need a lot of water to keep up regular irrigation, especially in the summer. This is often supplied from a large, ground level water tank. Glasshouse roofs provide an excellent source for harvesting the rainwater to top up the tanks. Systems can include sprinklers or more manual hose supplied watering devices, and suitable runoff systems to prevent tanks overflowing in times of heavy rainfall.
The Tungsten sectional steel range which Tanks-UK supply is ideally suited to this type of installation.
Fire fighting water tanks
For commercial, industrial, or even domestic property protection, where there is no direct mains hydrant close by, or the mains pressure is insufficient, a fire fighting water tank should be installed. These can be underground or above ground (roofed over) and can be at least partly supplied from rainwater harvesting. It is important that they are kept full at all times so they may need supplementary supply. Recent wildfires in the UK have flagged up the problems which can occur when there is insufficient stored water in the area to save properties.
Domestic / Commercial rainwater harvesting
Up to 50% of domestic water use can be supplied from a rainwater harvest system. These would normally be underground tanks with built in filters to keep the water clean. It is then pumped either directly or via a header tank and gravity feed to toilets and washing machines, etc – anywhere where potable (drinking quality) water is not required. It would also be used to supply a garden tap – e.g. for garden irrigation, car washing or window washing.
One advantage of using rainwater for laundry is that the water is naturally soft and therefore less detergent is needed – a win/win situation for cost saving.
For garden use only – an innovative solution from Enduramaxx is a flat water tank which fits neatly underneath raised decking. Out of sight without the hassle of installing an underground tank, and available in several sizes.
Tanks-UK supply
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- Harlequin (HydroStore) rainwater harvest systems
Enduramaxx water tanks plus all the pipework, pumps and filters you would need- Atlantis underground water tanks, plus pipework, pumps and filters
- Rainwater filters – replacements or for a new system
- Pumps
- Hoses, tank fittings, taps and other ancillary items
We can arrange installation for you as well.
Just give us a call on 01953 665940 or email info@tanks-uk.com with your requirements and we’ll send you a quote.