| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | back up that will switch automatically to mains water if |
| There are a lot of equestrian centre and livery yard | | | | the storage tank runs out. |
| owners who are shocked by the size of their water | | | | The supplier for your rainwater system will do a tank |
| bills. This article explains how these can be decreased. | | | | size calculation for you, this is worked out on the |
| Maybe you run a yard or a riding stable. Maybe you | | | | average rainfall for where you live, the roof area, and |
| are lucky enough to have horses at home. Either way, | | | | what you need the rainwater for. The cost will be less |
| you know how much water horses use. Yet from | | | | in the context of a new construction when a digger |
| your stable roofs, or barn roof, or house roof, you | | | | and plumber may well be on site already, typically |
| could be storing litres and litres of rainwater to use | | | | £2000 to £3000. In a retrofit, there will be additional |
| instead of expensive mains water. | | | | installation costs. Specialist installers are not required. |
| The horse has a pulled tendon or ligament. The vet | | | | Competent builders and plumbers should be able to do |
| says to hose the injured leg for 20 mins to half an hour | | | | the installation quite easily. The one important current |
| every day. That is the same as 3 baths or a minimum | | | | building reg to meet is to ensure there is an air gap be |
| of 300 litres. Or a 20 minute shower. Then thereís | | | | the rainwater and mains water pipework so there can |
| the drinking water: a horse drinks 40 to 60 litres a day. | | | | be no cross contamination. |
| And washing the feed buckets, hosing down the yard, | | | | Normally, planning permission is not necessary. |
| cleaning off muddy legs not to mention shampooing | | | | However, planners now often favour building |
| and rinsing the whole horse, soaking the hay. And | | | | applications that include rainwater harvesting. Official |
| thereís the yard WC being used all day long by | | | | pressure is on to reduce mains water consumption on |
| clients and staff (eg 30 flushes a day = @ 180 litres). | | | | the one hand and also to alleviate flood threats. |
| They may even be a washing machine for dirty | | | | Rainwater harvesting helps with both these issues. |
| numnahs and bandages. Thereís the arena to water: | | | | Using some of the rainwater for constructive use |
| perhaps the sprinkler is on for an hour or two: thatís | | | | means less potential flood water pouring down the |
| another 1000 to 2000 litres. There are a multitude of | | | | drains or onto land. |
| jobs that all use water. For a yard with 10 horses, you | | | | If you are considering using rainwater in the yard, you |
| could be using around 2000 litres a day. | | | | may also think about using it in the house. Thirty to |
| All the above uses could be supplied with rainwater. | | | | 40% of our domestic water literally goes down the |
| With the large roof area provided by stables, barns | | | | toilet or is used by the washing machine. So nearly half |
| and indoor schools, sufficient quantities of rainwater | | | | of our 150 litres a day of mains water could be |
| can be collected and stored for all uses that do not | | | | replaced by mains water. In the house, it is |
| need drinking quality water (mains water). | | | | energy-efficient to use a gravity-feed system with a |
| The initial choice is between above or below ground | | | | smart header tank (such as the Rain Director). In such |
| storage tanks. Above ground tanks are cheaper to | | | | a system, the rainwater is pumped to a special |
| install as there is not the cost of digging a hole as | | | | rainwater holding header tank, and so the |
| there is for underground tanks. However, underground | | | | energy-greedy pump in the main storage tank is |
| tanks are to be recommended as the stored water | | | | activated only when the header tank is empy rather |
| stays fresh and cool if not above ground (bacteria do | | | | than everytime, for example, a WC is flushed. This |
| not form in temperatures under 12 C) so horses will | | | | saves 8 to 10 times on electricity use. A gravity-feed |
| drink it more readily. It makes sense to put the tank | | | | system like this would not be suitable on the yard, as |
| underground, since sometimes space is very limited. | | | | there would not be enough pressure for hosing down |
| The tank should be placed in the best location to | | | | and watering. |
| collect rainwater from the downpipes. The rainwater is | | | | A quote done recently for an equestrian centre |
| cleaned, either by a filter in the downpipe, or more | | | | wanting to use rainwater for watering 2 arenas |
| normally, by a filter in the tank itself. These filters | | | | specified either a 13000 litre capacity for just over |
| require very little maintenance and remove enough | | | | £4000, or to be able to rely on rainwater in a |
| debris to make the water quite suitable for all those | | | | drought, 26000 litre capacity for £8400 with vat and |
| uses that don't need human drinking--quality water. | | | | delivery. |
| A pump inside the storage tank takes the rainwater to | | | | If you are a business, you can benefit from the |
| where ever it is needed. The type of pump normally | | | | Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme whereby 100% |
| used can deliver up to 5 bar (household pressure is | | | | of material and installation costs of rainwater |
| around 2.5-3.0 bar) or over 3000 litres an hour. It is | | | | harvesting systems registered on Water Technology |
| certainly powerful enough to water an arena or other | | | | List can be offset against tax liability. |
| large area, as it can pump water up to a 45 metre | | | | Rainwater harvesting is clearly an option to consider in |
| head. If the pump is connected to a hose or tap, it will | | | | an equestrian environment. With such high water |
| automatically start when this is turned on. | | | | usage, the payback on the investment will make it |
| Another essential feature needed is a reliable mains | | | | worthwhile in 5 or 6 years. |