Rainwater Harvesting with Cisterns Resources
Rainwater Harvesting with Cisterns Resources
Publications
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands, vol. 3: Roof Catchment and Cistern Systems, by Brad Lancaster. Rainsource Press, www.HarvestingRainwater.com, 2008. This volume presents guidelines specific to cistern systems, helps you select the best non-toxic materials for your system, and size it for maximum efficiency. Numerous case studies are given describing various systems and how, through integrated design, their tanks do far more than just store water.
Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged, 2nd rev. ed., by Suzy Banks with Richard Heinichen. Tank Town Publishing, 2004. Tank Town Publishing, 1212 Quail Ridge, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620; phone: 512-894-0861; website: www.rainwatercollection.com . An entertaining resource on various cisterns and how you could plumb them into your home with gravity feed or mechanically pressurized systems.
Rainwater Catchment Systems for Domestic Supply: Design, Construction, and Implementation, by John Gould and Erik Nissen-Petersen. Intermediate Technology Publications, 1999. Intermediate Technology Publications, 103/105 Southhampton Row, London, WC1B 4HH, UK; website: http://www.itdgpublishing.org.uk / . An excellent review of rainwater harvesting practices around the world. It presents case studies which will help anyone intending to design or construct a rainwater catchment system.
Texas Guide to Rainwater Harvesting, 3rd ed., by Wendy Price Todd and Gail Vittori. Texas Water Development Board in Cooperation with the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, 1997. For a printed copy write to Conservation, Texas Water Development Board, P.O. Box 13231, Austin, Texas 78711-3231. Available online at www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RainHarv.pdf. A great, easy to read resource on harvesting rainwater in cisterns. Water quality, basic system set up, and case studies are all covered. A short video covering cistern basics is also available.
Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers and Ponds for Domestic Supply, Fire and Emergency Use, Plus How to Make Ferrocement Water Tanks, by Art Ludwig. Oasis Design, www.oasisdesign.net, 2005. A great overview and how-to on numerous water storage options.
Ferrocement Water Tanks and Their Construction, by S. B. Watt. Intermediate Technology Publications, 1978. A very practical resource emphasizing low-tech methods of ferrocement cistern construction, and mention of unstabilized adobe cisterns.
Guidelines on Rainwater Catchment Systems for Hawaii, by Patricia S. H. Macomber. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2001. Available online at www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/RM-12.pdf. An informative guide documenting the use of various tanks, and providing a good overview of harvested rainwater quality and treatment and filtration options.
Guidance on the Use of Rainwater Tanks, 2nd ed., enHealth Council of the National Public Health Partnership. Government of South Australia, 2004. ISBN 0 642 82443 6; order from website. http://www.nphp.gov.au/enhealth/council/pubs/ecpub.htm. Good deal of information and management tips on maintaining cistern water quality.
Sustainable House, by Michael Mobbs. Choice Books, 1998. How a family of four renovated their inner-city Sydney, Australian home to make it almost entirely self-sufficient in electricity, water, and waste disposal.
The Rainwater Technology Handbook – Rainharvesting in Building by Klaus W. Konig, Wilo-Brain, 2001. Examples of water harvesting tank systems throughout the world and statements from their designers.
Harvesting Rainwater for Wildlife by James C. Cathey, Russel A. Persyn, Dana O. Porter, Monty C. Dozier, Mike Mecke and Billy Kniffen, Texas Cooperative Extension. To order see http://tcebookstore.org. Demonstrates a number of catchment and cistern systems to provide rainwater for livestock and wildlife.
“The Secrets Of Low Tech Plumbing,” by John Vivian. Mother Earth News, June/July 1995, pp. 34–90. Now available on the Mother Earth News website: www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/1995_June_July/The_Secrets_of_Low_Tech_Plumbing. Information on simple rain catchment, water ram pumps, solar pumps, and old fashioned water conservation.
Harvesting, Storing, and Treating Rainwater for Domestic Indoor Use by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, 2007. Pdf of document can be found at the Texas Water Development Board Website: www.twdb.state.tx.us/iwt
Online Resources (in addition to above)
www.watertanks.com. A good quick reference for availability and prices of pre-manufactured water tanks. You may find a local distributor is more convenient and cheaper without the shipping, but this website is good to start the search of what is available.
http://www.ersson.sustainabili
Videos
Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged. Tank Town, 1999. Tank Town, PO Box 1541, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620; phone: 512-894-0861; website: www.rainwatercollection.com . An entertaining and informative 37-minute video on the design and installation of household rainwater systems providing potable water.
Water quality of harvested water
“Microbiology of Rainwater Cistern Systems: A Review by Dennis J. Lye, Journal of Environmental Health Science Health, A27, 8, 2123-2166, 1992.
“Contaminations of Potable Roof-Collected Rainwater in Auckland New Zealand” by G. Simmons, V. Hope, G. Lewis, J. Whitmore, and W. Gao, Water Research, 35, 6, 1518-1524, 2001.
“Bacteriological Quality of Rainwater in Roof and Ground Catchment Systems in Botswana” by J. E. Gould and H. J. McPherson, Water International, 12, 135-138, 1987.
“Variations in Rainwater Quality From Roof Catchments” by M. I. Yaziz, H. Gunting, N. Sapri, and A. W. Ghazali, Water Research, 23, 6, 761-765, 1989.
“Is Rooftop Runoff Really Clean?”, TRS, Watershed Protection Techniques, 1,2, 84-85, 1994.
