Rainwater collectors . . . . Get ready for pollen season!!

Soon tree pollen will be drifting down, covering cars, lawn furniture, roofs and gutters. If you harvest rain for potable use, you need to be a good rainwater farmer and take steps to bypass and divert pollen-laden rainwater from getting into your cistern.

Australia, Texas, Oregon and several Caribbean nations are leaders in rainwater collection. Various sources from these regions as well as field knowledge gathered from hundreds of our customers collecting rainwater here on Gabriola, have given us some essential recommendations on maintaining your rainwater harvesting system. Here are tips to keep in mind:



WITHEY'S WATER TREATMENT
RAINWATER HARVESTING TIPS. . .



Overall:


 Monthly: spend about 10 minutes and do a walkabout of your system. Ensure gutters and downspouts aren’t plugged, screens are in place, pipe is not broken or leaking. Check cistern water level with a pole, gauge or tape and record in a log book. Check whole-house filters, change if needed. See that pump pressure is stable and not cycling (if it is, there may be a leak or faulty check valve). Ensure UV is on and not in alarm.


 Ensure gutters are in good condition and clean; put a screen/strainer over the gutter downspout hole to keep out mosquitoes and other insects from your pipes.


 Ensure collection cistern has leaf & insect screen in place, hatches are closed and overflow pipe, vents are screened to keep out critters.


 Periodically – (e.g.) yearly, biennially or at a time you think is necessary, clean your cistern(s) and flush out your collection pipes.


 Though Century Cisterns are HDPE-UV-stabilized, it’s a good idea to shade your cisterns to help reduce sunlight intensity and moderate the water temperature.


 If you have a first-rain diverter or cleanout – ensure you have it emptied and ready to go for the next rain after an extended dry-period.


 Occasionally, add plain 5.25% household chlorine bleach to your cisterns (dose: approx ¾ cup per every 1,200 gallons of stored water) to help kill organisms that may be present. Hydrogen peroxide -- 35% food grade -- can be used instead (dose: approx. ¼ to ½ litre per every 1,200 gallons of stored water). Use hose or bucket to re-circulate water in cisterns for 10 - 20 mins.


+ Spring/Summer:


 During extended dry periods (e.g. greater than 7-10 days) ensure your system is ready to bypass/divert the first rain so it cleans your roof and the atmosphere of pollutants. The only researched guideline on this is to allow for at least 10 gallons of rain to be diverted for every 1,000 sq ft of collection surface for a “typical roof”. If you have a piped-in first flush diverter, ensure it is empty and ready to accept the first-flush of rain. Otherwise, bypass your cistern and give a solid rainstorm about 2-4 hours of cleaning time before collecting.


 Clean and flush your gutters, collection pipes and roof after pollen season.


+ Fall/Winter


 Continue diverting first rain after any extended dry period.


 Ensure system is ready to go for the big winter rains. Collect rain continuously.


 Ensure “wet collection” & supply pipes are protected from freezing by earth or insulation. If you have a “wet-pipe” collection system and extended sub-zero temperatures are forecasted, open up your clean-out/rain diverter and empty the collection pipe of water so it doesn’t freeze and crack your collection pipes!