Rainwater catchment systems: from cisterns to smart infrastructures

Rainwater catchment systems: from cisterns to smart infrastructures

My list

Author | M. Martínez Euklidiadas

Fresh water is an increasingly scarce resource as a result of environmental pollution and climate change. Cities around the world are designing rainwater catchment systems (RCS) in order to supply their residents with water. Although a great deal of technology is used, it is not a new element.

How is rainwater collected?

The water is collected from rooftops by gravity, which means it always “descends” where possible. Making use of moderate slopes and furrows, cities across the centuries have used water catchment systems to channel the water to tanks, deposits, cisterns and other receptacles.

Catchment systems

The first component of RCS are large catchment surfaces, which are now rooftops and the gutters that transport the water to drains or directly underground.

rainwater -9

Storage deposits

Water deposits, which are generally underground, were used 5000 years ago by villages in arid regions. However, they are now equipped with elements such as level sensors, motorized sluicegates to channel the water to other tanks or IoT connected pumps to prevent faults.

They often share infrastructures with systems such as sewage systems or subway networks, as is the case in London, Moscow, New York, etc. Madrid is home to the largest storm tank in the world (Arroyofresno), a giant deposit for storing surplus water after a deluge, while also preventing the water from being wasted or flooding the treatment systems.

Smart pump stations

The relationship between underground deposits and water treatment and purification systems requires fine tuning. Only when the latter are capable of absorbing a greater flow, the automated pumps connected to the underground cisterns start functioning to clean the water.

How can rainwater be used efficiently?

Whether it is for human consumption, local irrigation or use as a raw material in industry, the use of treated rainwater is possible. What Klaus Schwab referred to as a ‘waternet’ is often used, a sensor based network of pressure meters, connected flow meters and actuators that provide real-time information about the status of the water network, its capacity or faults.

Rainwater used in industry

An interesting alternative for rainwater is its use as coolant, a pressure cutting element or a cleaning element (among other uses) in local industry. However, after its use, the water needs to be thoroughly treated in order to clean it, regardless of whether it will be reused for other purposes or tipped into riverbeds.

Use of rainwater for irrigation

One of the advantages of using rainwater for local irrigation is that the treatment process is much simpler than the purification process. It also prevents over exploiting the fossil water or aquifers, emptying reservoirs or drawing water that could be used for human consumption.

Use of rainwater for human consumption

The treatment is more complex because it requires much stricter conditions. Once purified, a procedure that often uses technology such as reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light or bacterial treatments, the clean water is pumped to the clean water circuits for use.

Images | iStock/Nataliya Kharitonova, iStock/Kyrylo Neiezhmakov

Related content

Recommended profiles for you

DN
Diego Naranjo
Universidad Industrial de Santander
STUDENT
HK
hyuksang kwon
Univercity
STUDENT
DG
DINESH KUMAR GUPTA
NeoEdge construction co. Bahrain
To finalised the project
GD
Genesis Diaz
GDIAZM
Ingeniero de mantenimiento
PS
Pau Solà Gallardo
Aalborg University
MSc student Sustainable Energy Planning and Management
AR
Ali Razmi
Shiraz municipality
Water expert
PK
Prabhat Kumar
IIT Hyderabad
I am a master student at department of liberal arts, doing majors in climate change.
JL
Joanna Leoniewska-Gogola
Deloitte
manager
JH
Jaime Herrera
Enel X
Business Development Manager Latam
CS
Christophe Stroobants
Flanders Environment Agency
Air quality, modelling, innovation, sensors, citizen science ...
VK
Vivian Kuan
Terreform ONE
Executive Director
JV
Joaquin Alfredo Velázquez olvera
UVM
Teacher
AB
Ashley Braunthal
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
PhD Student at Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA - UAB)
MA
Marc Allaire
BeTomorrow
FD
Filip Diera
Diera
The creator
TF
TERESINHA FREIRE
controle & instrumentação
select and develop topics related to energy, technology, telecom, automation, business and industry
AS
Agustí Serra i Bartra
CSDSEQUIP
Ceo
SA
Subroto Asto
Miota
Chief strategy officer
PV
Philipp von Zitzewitz
Sesam Connect
Managing Director
JL
Juan Pablo Lazzarini
EMESA
Project Manager