Introduction

Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design

Appropriate Technology: Water

Organic Agriculture and Local Food

Appropriate Technology: Energy

Green Building & Retrofitting

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater is typically collected from roofs and stored in tanks adjacent to houses. Excellent manuals are available from The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (www.irha-h2o.org).  Usually the first amount of rain after a dry period is flushed to the ground.  The rain is then stored and used as shown opposite.

Ferro-cement rainwater tanks being built in Bolivia. The tank opposite has the calcualtions to enable future tanks to be built in the village.

Often a sand filter is used between the storage tank and the house.  This can be backflushed every year with water pressure.

Illustration from Ecohouse by Sue Roaf et al - Click on image to enlarge
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The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance was created during the World Summit for Sustainable Development as a response to the ever-increasing water management crisis - Click on image for more information