A rainwater cistern is a setup used for collecting rainwater and storing it until it is needed, usually in a concrete or masonry tank. Cisterns are often used in dry areas which lack ground water through the dry months. They collect rainwater which runs off a building’s roof via the gutters. Dry regions aren’t the only places cisterns are used, however. Cistern tanks are also an excellent way of saving money no matter where you live.
How do Cistern Tanks Work?
There are two main types of cistern tank: those used for domestic use and consumption, and those used for irrigation.
Cistern tanks developed primarily for irrigation are the simplest by design. They are attached to the gutter system around a house or farm, and the water that lands on the roof winds its way down into the tank. The water can then be released through a valve with a hose attached or into an irrigation trench.
Cistern tanks designed for domestic use, on the other hand, require a pump which runs from underneath the tank into the building’s plumbing system. Be sure to buy high-quality cistern tanks and to hire a contractor to install it, as this system is a little more complex. It is this system, however, which saves the most money in the long run.
How They Can Save You Money
If you live in an area which receives regular rain, a cistern tank can be all that is needed to provide water for basic amenities such as showers, toilets and washers. Even in dry areas, a cistern tank can collect around one hundred thousand gallons of water a year.
It is also possible to install a double cistern filtration system through which sediment can be removed. With this in place, the water collected can also be used for drinking.
As a general rule, cisterns come at around a dollar per gallon of water it can hold. Which, considering how many times it will be filled, is incredibly cheap. A cistern can pay for itself in under a year under the right conditions and as such is a healthy long-term investment both for the environment and for your wallet.
How to Avoid Contaminants
Contaminants, sediment and mosquitoes are problems which may occur if you do not take measures in avoiding them.
Sediment, as already noted, may be eliminated via a double tank system in which the sediment is left to settle in the first tank before being stored in the second tank. This will clear the water of any particles picked up on the roof.
Mosquitoes and larger contaminants are avoided simply by installing a gauze over the top of your cistern tank’s inlet. Furthermore, if using a double tank system, a second gauze can be placed at the inter-flow between them. Be sure to clean the gauze regularly.
Smaller contaminants can be a challenge insofar as correctly dosing a cistern with the correct chemicals is a difficulty to set up. The combination of a sand or charcoal filter and daily doses of a basic chlorinate will eliminate almost all pathogens. Luckily, rainwater is almost entirely pure because it exists in a gas form while a cloud.
Good luck in saving money with your new cistern tank!
