Roof for Photovoltaics, Solar Thermal, Rainwater Harvesting, Ventilation and Light Pipes

[G and J]

We are replacing a dwelling with a combined system.  We are on sand, so could easily use soakaways instead of dumping our rainwater into the sewers.  That would require capital investment.  Anglia Water incentivise such behaviour by reducing my annual water bill by £15 if I did.  
 

Everyone I talk to just tells me to forget it and stay combined, save myself money and hassle.  One has to ask if Anglia Water care about sewers being flooded by rainwater.  Maybe it keeps em clean and flowing without having to pay for it to be done manually. 

[saveasteading]

3 minutes ago, G and J said:

That would require capital investment.  

Not a lot. Well, it would if you put in a huge drainage field like in the building regs. But 10m of French drain and maybe a rubble soakaway beyond. Done. As opposed to whatever connection is required.

BTW, do you have an aquifer which this rain would help replenish?

8 minutes ago, G and J said:

if Anglia Water care about sewers being flooded

We would need a mole.

Ethically  probably not. Financially definitely not.

6 minutes ago, G and J said:

Everyone I talk to just tells me to forget it 

They don't care or don't understand. But where would they have learnt from?

[CADjockey]

On 27/06/2024 at 15:01, Jilly said:

There is a company which makes a coffin shaped tank to collect rainwater in the eaves for loo flushing. It wouldn’t work in a bungalow though

We have a 7500L tank under the patio, a pump within that is called to fill a header tank in the loft to feed the toilets and washing machine.
So as long as you have the space to dig a hole anything is feasible. I caveat that whole statement with the fact that we haven't fully comissioned it yet... We are currenlty turned to mains supply in the control panel proving that if we can get the water into the header everything downstream works perfectly. I will say that it still feels like a good plan if it finally works. The header tank was not well manufactured and sprang a small leak, the controller pcb was a dud and had to be replaced, and I am yet to be brave enough to turn it on in ernest! That is literally my next and almost final job on this build.

 

[Hastings]

On 11/07/2024 at 11:24, CADjockey said:

a header tank in the loft to feed the toilets and washing machine.

I ruled out a header tank in the loft at a very early stage of my house build due to being told that new toilets and washing machines might not function without at least 1 bar (10m head) of pressure. Is that not correct?