How to recycle rainwater for domestic use

Over 97% of the total 1.,4 million Km 3 of water on Earth is sea water, and cannot be used for human consumption. The remaining 3% consists of ice for the vast majority, and is concentrated at Polar caps. The remaining part accounts for only 0,3% of the total and is available for human consumption. Such percentage is progressively
reducing because of the pollution generated by human activities. In addition, irregular, less frequent and often too abundant rainfalls, do not consent a regular supply from municipal water main.

Why recover rainwater?

Using Rainwater represents a precious contribution to reduce wastes of potable water, leads to a more conscious consumption and may reduce costs up to 50%.

Rainwater is particularly suited for the following usages:

- For the washing machine and house cleaning: rainwater does not contain lime and cleans better than potable water so as it can reduce the use (and cost) of detergents up to 50%;
- For gardening: rainwater, when used to water plants and flowers, allows a better absorption of minerals.;
- For the toilet: rainwater reduces the formation of lime.

Elbi’s Rainwater recycling system: How it works

The system is designed to collect rainwater in order to make it available for use in household applications (toilets, washing machines, garden irrigation, domestic cleaning, etc.). It consists of an underground tank, a filtering system and a control unit.

Rainwater is channelled from the roof to the gutter; it then flows through a pipeline to the filter inside the underground tank. The filter, which has a stainless steel strainer inside, is inclined so as impurities are forced through the sewer. Water then flows inside the settling tank through a pipe which has a decanter at the bottom in order to prevent turbulences that would move sediments on the tank’s bottom. Water is taken 15 cm below the water level by means of a flexible hose equipped with a float switch in order to suck only pure water.

A control unit consisting of an electric panel and an integrated pump control the entire system from inside the house. The control unit also controls the inflow of the water main in case the supply of rainwater from the tank is entirely spent.




A natural balance

- Oxygenated environment
- Fresh temperature
- Absence of light

These are the three mandatory conditions for the proper operation of the rainwater collection system.The temperature is fresh inside the underground tank, with no thermal shocks. Oxygen favours the proliferation of bacteria who mineralize the sediments on the tank’s bottom, keeping water pure.

Absence of light prevents growing of weed, helping to maintain a natural balance.