Routing Rainwater to toilet

[al_uk]

I'm using stored rainwater in 3 IBCs for watering the plants, which has been working very well. Next idea is to use the water for flushing toilets.

Thought so far is to use an automatic pressurised 12v diaphram pump from a motorhome/boat to pump the rainwater directly through to a new pipe routed into the bathroom. Then to fit a washing machine/appliance valve on the end of this pipe and another appliance valve on the mains water pipe currently feeding the toilet cistern.

The cistern could then be connected to either the rainwater pipe or the mains pipe using either a flexible hose with an appliance connector on the end. No header tank required, and no contamination.

Alternatively a boiler filling loop arrangement would look better, and also has a double check valve.

Any comments on whether this would satisfy the water regs?

Cheers

[pontiff]

http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,10906.0.html       

Having read lots about this I went down the flexible hose route. From what I've read you can't use check valves of any sort to separate the mains fron rainwater system, a physical gap is required.

It takes minutes to swap between the two. Use a fluidmaster compact400 valve in the toilet to stop the pump switching on and off a lot when filling and maybe a small accumulator/expansion vessel to smooth out the flow.

Good luck!

[peater]

Hi
View my posting of rainwater (and riverwater) a couple of years ago. Even for toilet flushing, some form of sanitising of the water is required, as the water is exposed and could become a dangerous hazard to health.  This could be regular chlorine dosing in the idc tanks, or as I have used, Ozone generator (O3). However I have found the the cheaper ozone units only give about 20months service  (on intermittent use via a timer). The anode tube wearing out. Although replaceable, the cost of spares outweigh the cost of a new unit.
Hope this helps

[al_uk]

Thanks for the replies. I've read both your posts and am copying your ideas! I am using the 3P filters on my down pipes, and am in the process of making first flush diverters. Planning to then put a leg of the wife's tights on the inlet into the IBCs from the diverter. I also have a 10W pond UV lamp to plumb in at some point. I have some stabilised chlorine tablets for a swimming pool which I could try if necessary. The IBCs are covered with a tarpaulin to keep most of the light out, and the water is a lot clearer than without it.

Pontiff, how did you seal the bottom and top of your diverter? Is it 68mm or 110mm?

[peater]

Only problem with a pond UV is that it is slow acting, requiring re-circulation for effective treatment, which is OK for low demands,t olilet flushing etc. Higher demands may require a higher output UV.   

[al_uk]

Useful to know thanks! I expect to be setting up a circulation pump and UV lamp to come on 2 or 3 times a day for a few hundred litres each time, and see how that goes. The timing and control will be straightforward as the electrics are controlled through Homeseer home automation software. The plant waterer pump only comes on if there has been no actual rain (from rain sensor), and no forecast rain (internet rain probability)

[pontiff]

Pontiff, how did you seal the bottom and top of your diverter? Is it 68mm or 110mm?

It's 68mm. The top isn't sealed it's just pushed in and gripped by some plastic bits. The bottom I think is sealed with solvent weld

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Solvent-Cement/invt/431964?source=123_4

Looking forward to the pics!

[al_uk]

Ok good stuff! Did you make the bottom of the 1st flush diverter out of some sheet plastic? I couldn't find a 68mm end cap.

[pontiff]

Ok good stuff! Did you make the bottom of the 1st flush diverter out of some sheet plastic? I couldn't find a 68mm end cap.

It was a pain in the a*se and probably the most expensive part for me as I already had most of the stuff. I used a 68 to 50mm reducer at both ends and found an end cap for that.

http://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/DEF/product/!!PPWWS72GRY!!/D007002002003/Plumbing%20&%20Heating/Waste%20and%20accessories/Solvent%20Weld%20Waste/Grey%20Solvent%20Weld%20Waste/Polypipe%2050mm%20Grey%20Solvent%20Weld%20Waste/Polypipe%20Grey%2050mm%20Screwed%20Access%20Plug


( now thats a long link! Cant highlight it all, need to copy and paste )

[SamT]

Hi

Quote from: al_uk on July 13, 2010, 10:36:29 PM
Pontiff, how did you seal the bottom and top of your diverter? Is it 68mm or 110mm?

It's 68mm. The top isn't sealed it's just pushed in and gripped by some plastic bits. The bottom I think is sealed with solvent weld

Had this problem with a 3P too - bloody annoying on account of the cost and the fact that they say it will fit on their website, mine certainly wouldn't. Went hunting in B&G and found some rubber endcaps that I could cut and fit with jubilee clips - hope you can see on the rather zoomed in photo..

[al_uk]

Finished revamping the rainwater collection now to include 1st flush diverters and stocking filters.

Constructed the 1st flush diverters for a few pounds each using a 10l container, a 32mm branch fitting, a small amount of 50mm pipe, and a ping pong ball. Pipe fittings from bandq.

1st lesson learned :- A 38mm ping pong ball unfortunately won't fit up a 40mm waste pipe, as the 40mm refers to the outside diameter! So used 50mm solvent weld pipe instead to guide the ball.

2nd lesson learned :- the ping pong ball will not seal if the horizontal branch is more than an inch or so above the level of the water in the container.

I've tested the diverters manually, waiting for some rain now!

Piccies attached. This one shows where the toilet flushing water will be stored.

[al_uk]

The 1st flush diverter

[al_uk]

1st flush diverter showing the ping pong ball

[al_uk]

Tights as a filter

[al_uk]

2nd system with 2 interconnected IBCs collecting water from the garage, for the plant watering.