Max Headroom Posted January 18, 2017 Share .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted January 18, 2017 Share Laurent Fignon was waaaaaaaay ahead on this. B6Fu-n6IIAALwWe.jpgLegendary!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Deon) Posted January 18, 2017 Share What's up with people recreating rain forests in their gardens anyway? I see neighbours subjecting their poor gardens so much water, it must think it's located in the amazon!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLuvsMtb Posted January 18, 2017 Share I've struggled with this problem. I reckon there's a 'golden ratio' between roof size (catchment) and garden/house requirements. Smaller houses like we live in now have neither the roof size nor the space required for multiple tanks to be able to make the most of rain water. Decentralized water treatment has been punted as the future solution for water efficiency. So your house would have a system that allows for filtration and re-use... of all water consumed. And you would pay a great deal for top-ups.I have installed a greywater system during the holidays. It collects from 5 bathrooms and the washing machine. (We have 2 student suites that we rent out, incase you wondered about all those bathrooms) Water gets used in the garden. I have about 500m2 of lawn that is lush and green. I am saving up for a rainwater system. The system I have in mind will collect all the rain water, filter it and will be used in our house. The municipal water will be used to top up the rain water in summertime (you switch the water supply from a control panel which they install at a convenient location for you). With around 10 000 lt. of storage I should have virtually zero water use from COCT, and on top of this the rain water will end up in the garden as greywater. The cost is around R60K (ballpark from my greywater system installer). The pay-off would be less than 36 months, which is a great ROI. BACK TO WASHING BIKES:I use a watering can and bucket on average every 3rd ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted January 18, 2017 Share At least the scientists says that we are moving into an El Nina period, and that we can expect an unusually high winter rainfall. Lets hope it pans out, else we are in big dudu.La Nina El Nino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dev null Posted January 18, 2017 Share La Nina El Nino Ah crap! Thanks. Inexcusable as I know some Spanish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psyrax Posted January 18, 2017 Share there is a formula somewhere (Just have to find the bloody thing) for calculating gutter and downpipe sizing and requirements for a roof size. you will be amazed at just how much water a roof can deliver. when we last had a sprinkling of rain in CT we were unfortunately out the house, and only got home at the tail of the rain.....set up pool noodles to two of our gutters and channeled this into big plastic bath tubs, started filling up very quickly .... dug out the old kiddies swimming pool and go this to half full with what little rain was left. I find this article interesting.http://www.capetownpartnership.co.za/2009/10/reclaim-camissa/ Its easy. Calculate the surface of your roof. Then, every 1 square metre of roof that gets 1mm of rain is 1 litre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted January 19, 2017 Share Its easy. Calculate the surface of your roof. Then, every 1 square metre of roof that gets 1mm of rain is 1 litre.the formula then dictates the min. gutter and downpipe sizing to deal with the volume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nox1111 Posted January 19, 2017 Share I moved to a flat block about 2 years ago, and with no access to a hosepipe, got myself this wash kit.two brushes, bikewash, chamois and a garden pressure sprayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nox1111 Posted January 19, 2017 Share edit - double post sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicoBoshoff Posted January 19, 2017 Share I sunk a borehole which relies on an aquifer in the clay, from which I then pump into a 5000l JoJo hooked up to my irrigation system. One can see the aquifer even is also taking a bit of strain, as I don't get constant flow from it, but that's what the liquid level controls are for. Anyways, ideally I'd want to hook our house up to that, but that's money I don't have. At least the irrigation is off the grid (sort of, I know). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted January 19, 2017 Share I moved to a flat block about 2 years ago, and with no access to a hosepipe, got myself this wash kit.two brushes, bikewash, chamois and a garden pressure sprayer.DSC_2005sml.jpgDont they have a communal pool that you can just dunk the bike in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicoBoshoff Posted January 19, 2017 Share I sunk a borehole which relies on an aquifer in the clay, from which I then pump into a 5000l JoJo hooked up to my irrigation system. One can see the aquifer even is also taking a bit of strain, as I don't get constant flow from it, but that's what the liquid level controls are for. Anyways, ideally I'd want to hook our house up to that, but that's money I don't have. At least the irrigation is off the grid (sort of, I know). Also put solid safety cover on the pool, which sorts pool topups due to evaporation out. Had to top up only once the entire December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTBeer Posted January 19, 2017 Share the formula then dictates the min. gutter and downpipe sizing to deal with the volumeI'm guessing this is the formula most SA builders use http://sacramentodentistry.com/wp-app/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/is-there-a-thumb-sucker-in-your-house.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Deon) Posted January 19, 2017 Share I sunk a borehole which relies on an aquifer in the clay, from which I then pump into a 5000l JoJo hooked up to my irrigation system. One can see the aquifer even is also taking a bit of strain, as I don't get constant flow from it, but that's what the liquid level controls are for. Anyways, ideally I'd want to hook our house up to that, but that's money I don't have. At least the irrigation is off the grid (sort of, I know). The time to refill an aquifer is the scary part, can take thousands of years to form and just as long to refill. Actually thats not entirely true because thousands of years ago we had less parking lots and shopping malls built over vleis, lakes and estuaries. Also the storm water system sends all surface water to the sea now.. so that resource we are tapped into is, as you say, taking quite a beating. Then there is risk of salt water ingress.. should that happen we're basically f****** for a backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slickandtyred Posted January 22, 2017 Share Sadly most water that gets wasted is due to pipe bursts, not consumersReport breakages and sometimes we still wait days for repairs. A couple of months later breakages at same point. Quality of repairs and compaction questionable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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