ALL our water is FREE! - how does our rainwater harvesting system work?

[@petermcalpine9380]

Hello Phil! I live in West Thailand. We have five 1,500-litre clay water jars ("ongs") to store rainwater, which we then structure and drink. We've saved enough for 5 years at least because who knows what climate change will do to the rainfall. We also have 19 cats, not that they drink much, of course, but we don't want to take any chances with their needs. Possibly you might end up installing more tanks as the UK's climate changes.

[@gemkachar]

Great video. That water pressure is awesome. Its what i need. I am a big fan of rain water harvesting in my rural home in Kenya. I am currently harvesting 24,000 litres of rain water from roof top into 3 tanks connected serially . Each tank is 8000 litres. My target is 40,000 litres.

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Thanks for you comment - and good luck with hitting your target of water collection!

[@Malally2]

You can boil/distill the water and also use an activated charcoal/Carbon filter to clean it for indoor use

[@enduramaxx]

Great video Phil! Thanks for your mention of us and your kind words.

[@maryjanemaque1289]

This is so inspiring! Can't wait to build my own RWHS like this in the future. Great video! Super interesting and loads of information.

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Glad it was helpful!

[@townswiley4429]

Enjoy your energy! Thanks for the walk through.

[@mjrc123]

Good to see your system. I appreciate that your roof area is clear (no overhanging trees) but wonder if you could still benefit from a first flush system? It would be pretty easy to install and may improve the quality of your water. Also if you were to increase the size of the pipe from the downspout to tank, you may find that you collect more as that looks as though it could be limiting flow capacity.

[@TRPGpilot]

Its only americans that are obsessed with 'first flush'. I have queried the diverter as its wasting at least 1/2 the rainfall that flows on the roof by his spreadsheet calculations (he is only accounting for 50% of his roof area in the calculations)

[@unisen]

Great job, greatings from Mongolia

[@shadowofmyfutureself]

Thanks for going to the time and effort to make and post this ... great info

[@user-lq2nm1ns7r]

Thanks for the video🤙

[@livingoffthegrid6956]

Thank you! 😊

[@samilozdil3222]

Thank you for simple explaining !

[@sanleoster]

Excellent work

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Thanks!

[@albertovelazquezramirez5109]

I made my own... A little one. 1100 litters. But its good for the 1st time...

[@multicolouredhuman]

Thanks for the tour, looking to set up gravity system and rainwater harvesting for micro nursery, this has helped me a lot!

[@HeronbrookFarm]

I'm glad it was useful!

[@ianh9871]

Very helpful video thanks, i've a land drain that runs through my garden and discharges on the boundary bank, your system will work for me using that diverter off the downpipe. SWWA charge £1,90 per cubic metre so this is a good investment

[@marschan168]

Impressive!!! I would like to have one for household use

[@ejidiakariuki3282]

wow excellent information. Thank you

[@simontaylor3492]

Nice system. I also have the same diverter valve, they are the best. Your shed is MASSIVE compared to my double garage. When there is a big down pour, so much of the rain water will bypass the dirverter and exit into your soak away. Check next time during a down pour. You should install a bigger diameter pipe between the diverter valve and the tank, you just cut the smaller outlet bit off and upgrade from 32mm to 50mm. This will double the amount of flow into the tank.

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Thanks Simon - useful suggestions.

[@simontaylor3492]

@@HeronbrookFarm I am genuinely concerned that you will be loosing water. Have a look during a massive down pour. also inspect the mesh after a shower. Thumbs up to you and your system.

[@HeronbrookFarm]

@@simontaylor3492 Thanks Simon - I will definitely take a look.

[@multicolouredhuman]

@@simontaylor3492 could you help me devise a gravity fed rainwater irrigation system for an off-grid flower farm 1/2 acre, incorporating excess runoff into ponds? Wondering if this could be done without pumps? Cheeky question I know, but enjoying the theory and design challenge. Would be a massive advantage if my little project goes ahead in October.

[@lktopview]

multicolouredhuman multi- how many square feet of roof do you have available to collect rainwater from? Second, how much rain do you receive in your area? ( per year)

[@flee.The.Cities]

Wonderful video thanks for sharing this info...invest in a solar or wind energy system to eliminate the electrical power for efficiency and sustainability.🙏🏾

[@yafois988]

How do you keep water fresh from stagnation? Do you use an air bubbler in it? What about freezing when it is freezing cold for weeks at a time? I know the cooler the temp the less likely water to go putrid from heat. Black body seems to be a goos tank to get helping these yet there is always te times out freezes or gets to Hot like in summer times.

[@maimbomalesu5820]

Amazing design and fittings

[@markfcoble]

Thanks.

[@HeronbrookFarm]

You're welcome

[@etchediniron4249]

Brilliant system! Thank you for sharing! One question, why the small tank with the pump in it? Could you pump straight from the large tank?

[@thomasarchambault9463]

Great video.👍

[@sarahmaeminor8438]

Excellent video, thank you for sharing this brilliant idea

[@ir7868]

Brilliant set up Good man

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Many thanks

[@williambeltran6927]

Muy bueno, muchas gracias 🙏 por la información.

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Thanks William

[@grassabrutta]

What was that video skip at 1:20 where you cut the frames where the water tap is turned on and you then in the next frame have a magically full glass ?

[@balznothiger906]

Great set up👍

[@coziii.1829]

I would of connected every roof to a main tank and filter all . I have a 30,000 gallon main tank then a 10,000 then it goes to pond and over flow on pond goes to creek

[@commando7anthala]

You are amazing guys, thanks for this!

[@tiitulitii]

This is great!

[@kennhurt5636]

What are the cost of these tanks and all the attachments that go with it and the pumps do you have an idea that you can send to me doesn’t have to be exact I know that I’m just wanting to get an idea of everything entailed here what did it cost. That looks like a perfect system I hope you can help me out with some ideas on costume and love the idea of you showing us each step thank you again!

[@wearejames1]

Great video, just wondered if you have worked out the break even time for your usage cost against installation cost? I am currently thinking of making a rainwater harvesting system for a domestic property to supply toilet/washing machine, so your video and links are much appreciated. Thanks 😀

[@delani447]

What are you guys doing in winter lets say if the temperatures go down below zero for a long time? The tanks do not look like they are isolated from freezing or having any heating connected to it.

[@chriskwakernaat2328]

the tube connectiong the pipe to the tanks looks awfully small.. atleast for the length of gutter you have. I have recently removed my rain diverter permanently. it was 80% clogged wit rotting leaves and even some nuts that birds dropped on my roof to break open. I have added a first flush system (needs tinkering for the size though) and have put a rainpipe straight into the tank after that. (with panyhose as last fine filter)

[@elainenilsson5472]

I totally enjoyed this video. Could you tell me how cold it gets where this system is? Do you have any issues with the pipes freezing?

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Hi Elaine - it does not get too cold here and we have never had a problem with the pipes freezing. In a typical winter we might see temperatures or about minus 10Deg centigrade but these low temps don't typically last very long. All of the pipes, inside the barn and external are insulated, however.

[@elainenilsson5472]

@@HeronbrookFarm minus 10 C is 14F and that sounds similar to Virginia where the coldest it ever gets here is 20. Thank you for your answer.

[@doreencremer]

Please give us a link for the Swiss boot wash system. THANKS

[@TRPGpilot]

Why not simply take all of the water from the roof and have an overflow pipe when full? ? Why have a diverter especially if it has needed to be topped up from mains water?

[@livingoffthegrid6956]

I subscribed!

[@kennhurt5636]

You’re getting your parts from out of the United States do you know who I could get this stuff from in the United States? That was a great video I hope I can duplicate some of this what size barn do you have there that’s awesome and that’s kind of what I need? Thank you for your time exclamation

[@rrr92462]

So that 6000 liter tank is filled through that little hose coming from the gutter? In a heavy down pour does that small diameter hose keep up?

[@TRPGpilot]

See my similar query above. It does not make any logical sense to me. Why not capture all the water that falls especially as it would better utilise light rains and negate the need to top up.

[@alexandreslugo4336]

Great system! Do you mind sharing the brand of electric pump that you're using? Many of the systems that I see like this, the pump sits outside of the tank. I like the in-water pump you're using for the sake of security. Thanks!

[@timorkarimi4688]

I like youer boot clean palesh

[@phylwilton1827]

Would those tanks survive a below zero freeze?

[@livingoffgridinscotland]

Where did you get your rainwater diverter from?

[@HeronbrookFarm]

They came from Rainwaterharvesting.co.uk.

[@livingoffgridinscotland]

@@HeronbrookFarm excellent!

[@aleksandaralste6601]

Great video! How many litters of water I can amass per year if my roof is 50m2 and in my place, the average annual rainfall is about 500 mm2? I want to irrigate about 200 young conifers and I wonder if it's possible only by rainwater considering this fact about average rainfall per year and possibility of collecting? Can you tell me what capacity of canisters I have to install?

[@TRPGpilot]

Each millimetre of rainfall will yield 1 litre per square metre.

[@invisiblesurfer]

Are you not concerned about that filter getting clogged up?

[@gman6652]

You clean the animals and vehicles in the sink? :P

[@3manasca]

and how long could be the water be stored?

[@A.t.h.i.s.t]

Please reply. Lots of rain water enters to the farm land it will completely destroy the farm! Pls suggest

[@TRPGpilot]

ok.

[@aakarsh7281]

Great Video, Im currently undertaking a project where Im really interested in RWH, i have a few questions; I was under the impression you need to treat the water that you feed to the animal? Do you find yourself running out of water at all?

[@sarahhuggins7217]

How to do you prevent the rats gnawing the plastic 🤔

[@lolchickens2298]

How many days on average in winter or summer does it take to fill up one tank

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Thanks Zak - good question. In an average January, it takes about 2 weeks to fill one of the tanks.

[@kennhurt5636]

Guys located?

[@bermudarailway]

I think that with that size roof the filter will clog up very quickly.

[@JosephQPublic]

Not if he doesn’t have any large trees in the area 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@HeronbrookFarm]

As Joe says, with no overhanging trees we only need to unblock the filers about twice per year,

[@neilwhitcombe9526]

What pump did you use please ?

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Thanks Neil - did you phone earlier? Sorry I couldn't remember! The pump in the smaller system (not in the video) is a Hydroforce series 3 tank water pump from www.rainwaterharvesting.co.uk/. In the larger system in the barn, we use a Divertron 1200 water tank pump which was purchased from www.anglianpumping.com/. Hope that helps. Rgds Phil

[@xierxu]

After the tanks it is free. :P

[@mohamedali9495]

How much did the setup cost?

[@adamross6474]

I’d love to know the specs

[@shadownoobnoobslayer5424]

ALL our water is FREE! - how much those complete system cost to build ?

[@Brandon-no3vc]

isnt it bad to have black tanks that can heat up in the sun

[@unfinest]

Fun fact Almost every "normal" washing machine use cold water. The water gets heated inside to set temperature. :D

[@murraycrichton2001]

When I lived in NZ, they were top loading machines and were connected to both hot and cold water lines.

[@dylancolgan4634]

Great Video, Im currently undertaking a project where Im really interested in RWH, i have a few questions; I was under the impression you need to treat the water that you feed to the animal? Do you find yourself running out of water at all?

[@HeronbrookFarm]

Great questions! We don't treat the water for supplying the animals other than the pre-filter before the water goes into the tanks from the roof. Our roof is relatively clean as we do not have any overhanging trees. We never have run out of water - but always a risk - we have 24,000 litres available and our biggest usage is in winter when there is much more rain here so that gives us some protection.