Ecovie Rainwater Collection Systems
Rainwater Collection Basics
Equipment
Personal reservoir to collect rainwater to use indoors and outdoors. Translating to cost savings and lessening demand on city water sources.
How It Works
ECOVIE Rainwater System engineers custom designs for large and small projects, but all have the same basic features described below:
The Rainwater Collection Process
Collection - Rooftops are the most typical surfaces from which to collect rainwater. Patios and decks can also be used in most cases. In other instances, driveways, walkways, and lawn run off can be used depending on intended use.
Pre-Filtration - From the collection surface, your rainwater goes through coarse filtration to remove large debris like pine needles, leaves, and twigs. ECOVIE installs strainers at each downspout or at one combined point depending on the situation. Single, self-cleaning units are the most popular, reliable, and trouble free. Since keeping gutters clean is always a good idea, we can install gutter protection to minimize gutter cleaning maintenance.
Rainwater Tank Storage - Your collected rainwater will be stored in one or more cisterns or tanks. Many of our customers prefer underground water tanks. Above ground rainwater tanks are used as well and offer advantages of ease of maintenance and lower installation cost. Above ground tanks are a great alternative if they can be placed out of sight or hidden by landscaping. Another alternative is a rainwater pillow which is a sturdy reinforced bladder that fits neatly in crawlspaces or under decks.
Distribution - Your ECOVIE Rainwater Collection System will include a pumping system and if required a post treatment system that delivers clean rainwater to where you are using it --- your irrigation system, outdoor hose outlets, pool fill, or your indoor water uses. The pump turns on automatically when you need it and turns off when you turn off the water. Treatment assures water that exceeds requirements up to and including potable water quality.
Treatment - If you will be using water indoors, you will need a treatment system. For rainwater, this system typically consists of fine filtration down to about 5 microns followed by even finer 0.5 micron carbon block filtration. Then, water is passed through a UV treatment unit to assure no biological activity occurs. Further treatment may be required depending on customer requirements and water quality and application.