Rainwater harvesting basics: Filtering the water before storage and use

Filtering rainwater before storage is essentially to remove organic material and silt so that the water stays clean longer.
Author:
Updated on
2 min read

Overview

/sites/default/files/iwp/insta.jpg

Materials required and site specification

Materials Required

  1. PVC drum or ferro cement
  2. Filtering material – coarse jelly, smaller jelly, sand
  3. Wire mesh
  4. Outlet pipe for allowing filtered water to go out
  5. Overflow pipe to allow excess water to flow out

Site Specification

  • Usually placed below vertical down pipe
  • Can also be placed adjacent to sump tank

Note

Filtering material

Placed at the mouth of the rainwater pipe, the filtering material can be very diverse.

/sites/default/files/iwp/filter.jpg


A combination of perforated aluminium box with mesh and sand or perforated plastic bottle with mesh and gravel are efficient.

PVC drums

  • Advantages – light weight, easy to transport, easy installation
  • Disadvantages – cannot be kept in sun, limited capacity
  • Cost - around Rs. 600. If kept in the shade, it can last over 6 years

Ferro cement filters

  • Advantages – size can be made to suit the requirements
  • Disadvantages – heavy, requires skill for construction
  • Cost - around Rs. 1700

Stainless steel filter

  • The stainless steel box filter is ready to use.
  • The water enters the box from the top and passes through the mesh to the down flow pipe. Thus, stone and sand filling is not necessary.
  • This filter is easy to clean
  • A stainless steel filter costs around Rs. 6000

Construction technique

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Caution

  • Always keep the filter clean
  • Remove the mesh after every rain

Related Stories

No stories found.
India Water Portal
www.indiawaterportal.org