Rainwater Harvesting Products Product Index

<body> <p><h1><strong>Rainwater Harvesting Products</strong> including Rainwater Tanks or Cisterns, Siphonic Roof Drains, Rainwater Filters, Rainwater Downspouts, Rainwater Storage Tanks, Rainwater Storage Tank Components including Rainwater Smoothing Inlets, Rainwater Storage Tank Floating Filter and Rainwater Hoses, Rainwater Storage Tank Overflow Devices, Rainwater Sensor Type Storage Tank Level Indicator and Storage Tank Fittings, Pumps and Pump Float Switches, Potable Water Accessories including Purification Kits from Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. Commercial Plumbing, Drainage and Rainwater Harvesting Products.</h1> <p> <br /> </p> <p><span class="text">Rainwater harvesting is a technology used to collect, convey and store rain from relatively clean surfaces such as a roof, land surface or rock catchment for later use. This is water that would otherwise have gone down the drainage system, into the ground or been lost to the atmosphere via evaporation. The water is generally stored in a rainwater tank or directed into mechanisms that can recharge groundwater. Rainwater harvesting can provide water for human consumption, reduce water bills and lessen the need to build reservoirs which may require the use of valuable land. Visit our<a target="_blank" href="../products/rainwater_harvesting/index.htm"> Rainwater Harvesting Products Section</a> for more information</span></p> <p>There are many types of systems to harvest rainwater. The type used depends on the type of construction, residential or commercial and physical and human considerations./p> <p><span class="text">Rainwater harvesting has been practiced for over 4,000 years throughout the world. It has provided drinking water, domestic water, water for livestock, water for small irrigation and a way to replenish ground water levels. Traditionally, rainwater harvesting has been practiced in arid and semiarid areas. It has become an integral part of societies in remote places where piping water and reliance on wells is not an option.<br /> <br /> Rainwater harvesting in urban areas and cities can have diverse benefits. Providing supplemental water for the city’s requirements, increasing soil moisture levels for urban greenery, increasing the ground water table through artificial recharge, mitigating urban flooding and improving the quality of groundwater are a few of the many benefits. In homes and buildings, collected rainwater can be used for irrigation, flushing toilets and washing laundry. In hard water areas rainwater is superior to city water for non-potable use. With proper rainwater filtration and treatment, harvested rainwater can also be used for showering, bathing, or drinking.<br /> <br /> Rainwater harvesting is also effective in reducing stormwater runoff pollution into the watershed. When rain falls, it is clean, but it immediately picks up pollutants from rooftops and pavement. This pollution is carried into storm drains and then into streams. Collecting stormwater from rooftops and directing it to Rainwater storage tanks so it can be used in and around a building decreases the volume and rate of stormwater runoff.</span></p> <p>Rainwater may also be used for groundwater recharge, where the runoff on the ground is collected and allowed to be absorbed, adding to the groundwater. In the United States, the most common Rainwater Harvesting Application is rooftop rainwater is collected and stored in tank or cistern.</p> <strong><br /> -This page uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them.</strong> <br /> <br /> The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222"> LEED</a> (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) Green Building Rating System™ was devised as a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED was initially created by the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usgbc.org/">United States Green Building Council</a> (USGBC) to establish a common measurement to define “green building.” It has since grown into a program aimed at raising awareness of and promoting integrated “green” building projects including Rainwater Harvesting. <br /> <br /> How does a building become a “green” building? <br /> Through design and construction that concentrates on:<br />  • Conserving water;<br />  • Reducing energy consumption; <br />  • Reducing the depletion of natural resources and materials; <br />  • Creating a sustainable site; <br />  • Use of innovative design; and <br />  • Improving indoor environmental quality. <br /> <br /> The green building movement is an essential part of the solution to the energy, resource, and climate issues our country faces. In the United States, buildings annually account for 39% of the U.S. primary energy use; 70% of the U.S. resource consumption; consume 40% of raw materials globally; and use 12.2% of all potable water, or 15 trillion gallons per year. Clearly Rainwater Harvesting Applications will reduce the demand on our water supply and save costs through water bills as well as provide a more sustainable environment for the United States and other Countries. Rainwater Harvesting is unique in that once the Rainwater Harvesting Products are installed, your investment immediately begins to pay off as the rainwater falls<br /> <br /> On average, a LEED™ certified building uses 30% less water than a conventional building, which translates to more than 1 million gallons of water saved per year. Reducing the amount of water that needs to be conveyed to and treated by municipal wastewater treatment facilities also reduces pumping and process energy required to these systems. LEED™, through practices like rainwater harvesting, promotes on-site storage and use of rainwater to lower water consumption cost, and it reduces the impact on storm drainage and municipal treatment systems. </body>