A cistern allows a supplement water supply to be readily available.
A cistern is a traditional way of collecting what nature provides in the form of water. Not for cooking or drinking, cistern collected water is used to water landscaping, gardens, or for other outdoor uses. In an emergency there is also a ready water supply that can be sanitized for drinking if necessary. A cistern can be underground or above ground, with water most commonly being collected from rain runoff through a gutter system. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Calculate the roof catchment area you want to use for collection. Calculate the size of your cistern and make it as large as space and budget allow. Use the formula: catchment area multiplied by gallons per square foot -- 0.62 gallons per inch of rainfall -- equals total gallons.
2. Check the gutters for collection to make sure they are secure. If you don't have gutters, a system must be installed in the catchment area. Determine the delivery point. If you are using the whole roof, all water needs to be routed to one delivery downspout large enough to handle heavy flow during a downpour. Otherwise route just a specified area to one downspout for delivery.
3. Power wash the roof and gutters of any debris.
4. Install gutter screens to your gutters in the catchment area to keep debris out of the collecting water.
5. Excavate where the tank will be placed if it is below ground. Create a wood or concrete block foundation for large above ground tanks. Large above ground tanks need a level bed to sit on to avoid sinking.
6. Install the tank. There are several types you can choose from. A concrete underground tank is constructed in place and should be done by professionals. Pre-formed tanks of polyethylene come in unlimited sizes; they are set in place above or below ground. Large tanks can be delivered in place.
7. Create a roof washer as part of the system. The roof washer diverts the initial dirty water away from the cistern before collecting water to store. Divert 10 gallons per 1,000 square foot of catchment area. Use a section of downspout that extends down below the point where water is diverted to the cistern and will hold a set amount of water. Cap the end. Install a connector at the level where the proper amount of water has been collected in the lower section of downspout. When the downspout fills to that point with the initial runoff, the remaining water then flows to the cistern naturally. Empty the downspout runoff into landscaping after it is filled.
Tags: catchment area, above ground, above ground tanks, amount water, below ground, collecting water