On-site Stream for Water Harvesting

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I am developing a project on rainwater harvesting from the stream, which would later be pumped to a water reservoir for further uses.

What am I supposed to consider in order for this project to be successful?

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18 Answers

  1. The basic question below is very important: irrigation or domestic consumption. I'll assume it's for consumption. Our company is in Colorado and there could be a very good market for such a system in places where well yield is low or groundwater is too highly contaminated (usually in the mountains). 

    You have to know how much water your are trying to supply. That water has to be stored, and it must be protected in that storage from bacteria development. I would use ozone.

    Next, you have to get the water out of storage and too the clients. This will require some sort of pump. Pump size will be determined by how much water has to be delivered to clients. 

    At some point in this process, probably prior to storage, you need to filter the water. Some sort of high capacity, back-washing ultra-filtration membrane should work, and some pre-filtration to reduce backwash intervals. You'll also likely want some carbon filtration, probably on the outbound side, to ensure the water tastes good and has no strange odors.

    Of course, all of this depends on the water quality going into the system and the number of locations you are trying to supply.  

    Good luck!

     

    Tom

  2. In addition to all the comments already made you need to adequately consider the non-technical requirements.  Do you have a community champion who will see this project through and then champion the operation and maintenance once the project is in place?  In my experience finding technical solution to the capital works is usually doable.  However what is often not given adequate consideration is how ongoing management, and operation and maintenance of the scheme is to be achieved.  Having a committed community champion and listening to their inputs will help significantly to achieve long term sustainability of the project.

    1 Comment

    1. As suggested here, long term sustainability is key, while many such projects fail because management is not supported beyond the short term.  Donors and implementers are often expected to have a self supporting business within a finite period of say two years or five years. In addition to technical considerations, establishing a firm, ongoing business footing is needed.

  3. The critical data for the project feasibility will be the runoff estimation (long-term) from local rainfall depending on the hydroclimatic condition of the watershed. Other considerations will be water requirements for downstream water users and environmental releases.

  4. There are a large number of considerations to this. Firstly there is establishing the demand from the  subsequent uses and what period the reservoir will need to support to size the reservoir.

    Then there is the question of abstraction from the stream and legal permissions to do this and is the rates and volume sufficient to supply the demand? Any effects on downstream users and natural habitats?

    How will the abstraction be done, designing a suitable pumping system. Conrolling the abstraction pumping?

    What is the quality of the stream water  and since it is a stream how will it vary with flow and seasonally? What treatment and disinfection is required for the unspecified uses. What can be done with treatment wastes?

    How the whole scheme can be financed in capital terns and what operational and maintenance costs will there be to support it and is there the technical base locally to support and maintain your proposed solution.

    There will be many others but this is a selection of the principal challenges as they occurred to me.

  7. In my opinion you should first look to the water demands ( needs ) in the area for a certain period of time . If this demands shows up every other year or not . In relation to this you will be able to calculate if your projects can fullfill the needs and make an economical cost efficiency calculation .

    So define the area you are focussing on to deliver water solutions .

    Define the volumes you need for a certain periode to overcome the periode without natural rainfall .

    Do not forget to look also into the soil deficits .  The soil is a reservoir of water and nutriënts .

    In relation to the plants growing , the readely available water , you can define the real needs .

    You have to use the soil water reservoir and work on daily deficits . Using evepotransipiration , soil specifications , plant specifications , climat .

     

    Good luck

    Paul Van Breda

    Certified Irrigation Auditor , Certified Irrigation Designer

  8. Judy, it seems to be too little information. What is the use for the water; domestic or agricultural or industrial. My take on the "few words" is that it is either for; (i)  domestic (1 or several households), or (ii) agricultural - small vegetable garden, or small farm.

    In either situation there are two initial details required; (i) water quality of the water in the stream, and (ii) before harvesting from the stream you need to know what are the downstream requirements of other users plus environmental flows required downstream.

    You will, in my opinion, and I do not know where you are located, a permit or license to take water from the stream - all dependent on the local government bylaws and state bylaws on water harvesting or pumping or abstracting water from a watercourse.

  9. You should go to www.wasrag.org, the Rotary International RAG for WASH that has developed written guidelines for the initial consideration of how to develop a water supply program under various conditions.  Rain Water Harvesting means you capture the water from the roof or other above ground collection system before it hits the ground and is contaminated, lost to flowing away or other issues.  What you are talking about is capturing, diverting water in a natural stream or watershed and storing it in a storage facility before treatment , delivery and use.   You need to read available guidelines on how to plan, design, construct and operate a community water system before you start.  You are a long way from the end objective a constructing a home or community water system.  Don't give up---just do more homework before you ask professional questions.

  11. It looks like you are looking at diverting water from a stream or creek. First, you need to collect raw water quality data and establish finished water quality objectives, Based on the first step, you may need to consider creek outlet structure, intake grate for large solids removal, solids removal, filtration, disinfection, and storage. You should also be working with your local regulatory agency.

  14. Whether from a stream or from rainwater harvesting, assuming that this is not pathogen contaminated there could be a real problem with re-contamination in storage.  Container inner surfaces need to be really clean, and cleaned frequently.  If the water is contaminated to begin with, such as that of a stream, there's a different question:  how to do point-of-use treatment.