Rain Harvesting system?

flowerpot

Member
Who has a rain harvesting system? The local Water Board is offering grants, but little interest shown in this house so far. We have 4 sheds plus a huge grain store, so there would have to be one collection from every shed, so how does this work? I know there has to be a filter to stop debris from the guttering into the system, but does it work/is it worth it?

Any comments gratefully received.

They are also looking into a borehole for the cattle/sprayer, but that will need electricity.

Yes, I know it hasn't rained for the past month ..................
 

Universe

Member
Livestock Farmer
Rain water harvesting works well here. Two large sheds provide water from one side of the roof to two separate vessels. Filtration works well. Overflow diverted back to down pipe.
Water is used only for spraying. I believe the soft rain water helps the efficacy of some chemicals, in this hard water area.
What sort/type of filtration do you use for such?
 

Goggles

Member
Location
Hertfordshire
To be honest, I’m not sure as I wasn’t around when they were installed. I think there’s a bucket type strainer/sieve at the top of the tank to stop small debris, with a larger gauge filter in front of that in case of leaves etc.
It all came in the kit when the vessels were purchased. ( it was a dedicated rain water harvesting vessel)
 

CPF

Member
Arable Farmer
Does this count .
( when we had cattle )
Been doing it for years and father before me. we are on the mains but always collect the water of cattle building Every little bit of cost saving helps .
EB0E3F5D-4BAB-47A7-9A2A-AD7044AF8206.jpeg
 

Lincsman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Mine is very big steel tank underground, all roofs are drained to it.. underground so nothing to see.. the pipe runs over a slit cut into the top of the tank and is drilled with hundreds of holes to stop moss etc running in, once tank is full it carries on to the ditch.

A pipe sucks from near the bottom to fill sprayer.
 

Fellstoflats

Member
Livestock Farmer
We've a sodding great big tank that collects all the rain off our youngstock shed- tank then feeds their troughs, and can be used for the sprayer or whatever. Also piped to mains to fill the tank in these dry times..
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I’ve got a WISY downpipe filter on one side of my biggest building, plumbed into a 10,000 L plastic tank for filling the sprayer. If there wasn’t a big doorway in the middle, I’d put another filter on the other side and plumb that in too.


If the water level drops, a RainAid valve (positioned above the overflow) keeps it topped up with mains so that I can always fill the sprayer.


Tank was about £1,000, filter about £80 and top up valve about £60 iirc.
If I were redoing it, I’d put a bigger tank in. It’s surprising how quickly 10,000 litres goes, even on my small scale.
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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