Introduction

Active water systems are essential for harvesting rainwater for human consumption. In this module, we will describe in depth the components of an active rainwater management system and how to assemble a simple system in your own home.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the benefits and uses of active water catchment.
2. Identify components of an active system.
3. Calculate catchment area and volume.
4. Recognize and describe how to design and install a 55-gallon “rain barrel” system.

Keywords: catchment area, conveyance system, initial debris screen, first flush system, diversion system, cistern, overflow plumbing, ventilator, outlet,area, volume, sine, uniseals, rational method, runoff coefficient