Project: 10,000 Gal. Rainwater Harvesting System for Irrigation Supply
Installed by: Rainwater Harvesting Systems, Inc.
Designer & Project Manager: Jeremy Delost, ARCSA AP
Location: Dallas, TX
Date: Feb. 2011
We begin with a high-quality stainless steel mesh gutter screen supported by an aluminum frame. This is the most important filter in the entire system. By keeping all leaves, debris, shingle grit, bird nests and so on completely out of the gutter system, we can eliminate 90% of the maintenance throughout the life of the rainwater system.
Adequate site preparation is critical to the stability of the tanks. The tanks used in this installation do not require a concrete foundation, however the site must be level and compacted using several layers of specified materials before the tanks are set. Remember, when the tanks are full, the 10,000 gallons of rainwater will weigh 80,000 pounds (40 tons). That’s heavy!
The tanks arrive and are unloaded near the site. This pallet contains two 5,000 gallon tank kits, ready for assembly.
The rainwater tanks are built from the ground up in less than 5 hours each. Since the tank does not have a bottom, a layer of screened sand and geotex fabric is used inside the tank to protect the plastic liner from damage from sharp objects. The beauty of a build-on-site tank is the easy of transport and placement.
A 2-horsepower irrigation pump is required to provide enough pressure to run the irrigation system. An automated refill valve keeps a specified amount of water in the rainwater tanks at all times so there is always some water to irrigate with. The pump system includes features such as dry-run and overheat protection, so the system owners never have to worry about the pump running dry and burning out. Very nice features to have! All pipes are well insulated to protect against freezing.
The finished system is ready for rain.
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