Solar Incentives
Advantages of
Rainwater Harvesting
- Reduces utility bills.
- Eliminates the need for complex and costly distribution systems.
- Helps utilities reduce the summer demand peak.
- Captures water before it runs into the storm drainage system.
- Lessens the impact of erosion, load on storm sewers and flooding.
- Reduces demand and reliance on limited groundwater supplies.
- Has a nearly neutral pH and is free from contaminants.
Rainwater Harvesting
What is Rainwater Harvesting?
Rooftop rainwater harvesting is the collection, conveyance, storage, and distribution of natural rainwater for non-potable applications. Instead of storm water immediately running from roofs into sewers, it gets collected and stored for later use, such as:
Rainwater harvesting is ideal for large commercial and industrial buildings, especially ones with expansive parking lots, and can be retro-fitted to existing buildings or integrated into new building designs. Not only does the facility save water consumption costs, but it also reduces stormwater runoff on the site. Pfister Energy can design a system to meet your facility's needs, depending upon roof size, water demand and your intended usage.
How does it work?
No matter what the particular application, the core components of a typical rainwater recovery solution are the same. They include the following:
Rooftop rainwater harvesting is the collection, conveyance, storage, and distribution of natural rainwater for non-potable applications. Instead of storm water immediately running from roofs into sewers, it gets collected and stored for later use, such as:
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How does it work?
No matter what the particular application, the core components of a typical rainwater recovery solution are the same. They include the following:
- Collection - comprised of the catchment area (i.e., roof) and conveyance system (i.e., gutters and downpipes)
- Holding Vessels - cisterns, tanks or other suitable storage container
- Roof-wash system (optional) - usually the first 10-20 gallons of rain are diverted from the cistern to improve water quality and minimize debris build-up
- Delivery System - the delivery system consists of pumps and piping (e.g., water is withdrawn from the holding vessel by a pump that delivers the water to sprinkler heads for irrigation)
- Filtration (optional) - to remove particulate and contaminants for the downstream application. This can be simple or complex, depending on the requirements and applicable health and environmental regulations