Knowra Rainwater harvesting Rainwater harvesting Rainwater harvesting is the collection and storage of rainwater for later use, often from roofs or other catchment surfaces. Systems range from simple barrels to engineered cisterns and managed aquifer recharge.
Rainwater catchment : The surface and infrastructure that collect rainfall and direct it toward storage. Roofs and other catchments determine how much water enters a harvesting system.
Rain barrel : A small container that stores runoff, commonly collected from a building roof. Rain barrels provide a simple household option for storing water for outdoor use.
Precipitation : Water released from the atmosphere that reaches Earth's surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Rainfall amount, timing, and intensity set the water available for collection.
Groundwater : Water held beneath Earth's surface in the pores and fractures of soil and rock. Groundwater is an established source that harvesting can supplement, rather than collect directly from rainfall.
Water security : Reliable access to sufficient, safe, and affordable water for people and their needs. Local storage can provide a supplementary supply when centralized water service is limited or interrupted.
Gutter : A channel installed along a roof edge to collect and carry runoff. Gutters convey roof runoff toward a tank or other storage point.
Rainwater tank : A container designed to store harvested rainwater for household, agricultural, or other uses. Tank size and placement vary with the scale and demands of a harvesting system.
Water balance : An accounting of water entering, leaving, and being stored within a defined system. A system water balance estimates how much rainfall becomes usable stored water.
Desalination : The removal of dissolved salts from seawater or brackish water to produce fresher water. Unlike desalination, rainwater harvesting stores precipitation without removing salt from seawater.
Drought : A prolonged period of unusually low water availability caused by deficient precipitation or related conditions. Stored rain can help bridge dry periods, though capacity depends on prior rainfall and demand.
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