An idea that no one can do without is that water, beyond all belief, is a sacred element. Something that is undoubtedly necessary to meditate on, and understand that, as a collective, we need to preserve it over time. In this sense, making a rainwater collector is a way of showing that awareness, and a minimum responsibility in the face of the probable shortage of this vital liquid.
You may find it inspiring to know that women in South Africa have made ingenious harvesting systems to survive droughts. Collecting rainwater is essential to make the most of this resource in any country, and the simple action of building your own rainwater harvester is a small initiative that could ultimately save the region where you live from water scarcity.
This is the case of Mexico City, one of the three cities that are facing an early crisis of . Under the motto rain for all, projects such as Isla Urbana are dedicated to installing water collectors in low-income populations, ensuring that the crisis could be avoided if each house had its own water collector. And especially in Mexico, where rain abounds.
Hence, we teach you how to make your own rainwater collector, the easiest way. By doing so you will help avoid flooding, extract less water from aquifers, save the energy used in pumping systems and use chlorine-free water. And the best? It is a way of taking this natural resource with freedom and nature, regardless of its lack.
To make your rain collector you will need:
Materials:
Barrels to store water
They can even be large jars. The important thing is that they can contain between 100 and 200 liters of water. You can buy them online, or get the ones used in restaurants to store food. Just make sure to disinfect it perfectly.
You can get the rest at any hardware store:
2.4cm hose wrenches, with 1.8cm pipe threads. They would look already installed like the ones in the photo above, or separately like this:
1.8cm x 1.8cm joints (the same number of barrels you are going to have)
1.8cm x 1.8cm bushings
1 pipe thread with adapter for 2.5cm hose
1.8cm locknuts
4 metal washers for each barrel
1 roll of Teflon tape
1 tube of silicone sealant
1 downspout elbow to connect the drain to the first collection barrel
Aluminum mosquito net cloth (small rectangles that will work as a filter on the top of your collector)
6 cement blocks for each barrel and some gravel (as a base)
Tools:
Drill with 1.8 mm drill bit, hand saw, screws, gloves and protective glasses.
Instructions:
First of all, you must have a system of gutters and pipes installed, those that normally reach directly to the floor. You will modify the path of the water, using the downspout (or elbow). But first you must do this:
1) Build a platform to hold the barrels with the blocks. Flatten the lateral area of the outlet of the downspout or the metal tube that goes from the roof gutters to the floor.
2) Place a gravel cup on a rectangle you have dug, 10 to 15 cm deep, filling it with a layer of gravel and the cinder blocks, and then place the barrels.
3) Drill or saw a hole in the barrel where the water will fall through, or in the lid of the trash can. It must be the size of the downspout, so that it can be adjusted to it and there are no gaps. Make a 1.8cm hole in the side to place the faucet, at a height that will fit a bucket to drink the water later. Apply sealant to the edge of the gap, both outside and inside the barrel. Put the key, gathering the gasket and the key. To do this, use the Teflon tape that wraps the threaded edges, this way it will be more airtight and you will prevent any leaks. Place a washer on the tube from the inside, followed by the bushing immediately to hold the key in place.*
*If you have doubts about this, consult an expert at the store you go to first. He will know how to guide you on how to perfectly place all these pieces, which in the end are nothing more than any key connected to your collection can.
4) Create a drain valve by drilling another hole a few centimeters from the top of the barrel (this can be used later to connect all your barrels). After applying the sealant, put the washer on the hose adapter by inserting it into the gap from the outside. Next, put the other washer on the inside threads, adding some Teflon tape and a nut to tighten everything. Finally, place the hose directly over the valve.
5) Assemble the collection system by assembling the downspout elbow. Connect it by placing the barrel on the platform, so that the hole in the lid fits with the downspout so that the water flows into the barrel. Cut the channel with a saw, securing the downspout with screws and making sure they are tight. Remember that the elbow must end inside the barrel; It is not enough that it is on top of him.
Attach the barrel to the elbow by using the saw to cut a hole in the barrel lid so that the edge of the elbow is inside. Finally, make a small filter with the mosquito net to filter out any excess dirt on the roof.
If you added more barrels, you can connect them using the drain valve, but the second barrel will need a third hole to act as a drain, and so on. You must do this with the drill at the height of the exhaust valve, following the steps above to color the key: placing sealant in the hole, then the hose adapter, two washers and Teflon tape to adjust. Then you can connect the barrels to each other with a hose, which you can buy by the meter at any hardware store, or with thin PVC tubes, so that the liquid is distributed.
With this video made by the SODIMAC YouTube channel you can visually guide yourself to make the water collector: