30Jun, 2011
    The Basics of Rainwater Harvesting

     Rain water Harvesting Plan

    Rainwater harvesting refers to the collection and storage of rain. It is a great alternative supplement to domestic water. Many people use rainwater for irrigation purposes, such as watering lawns and gardens. It can also be used for washing clothes and toilet flushing. As rainwater may be contaminated, it is not suitable for drinking without first undergoing proper filtration and treatment.

    Rainwater harvesting systems can range from a simple barrel at the bottom of a downspout to multiple tanks with pumps and controls. You can put together a very basic DIY rain barrel system for as little as £15-50.

    Disadvantages of rainwater harvesting include the limited supply and uncertainty of rainfall, as well as the evaporation of water from the holding barrel.

    In most cases, you don’t need any permits to use collected rainwater outside the house (lawn, washing the car, ect).
    However, many states require that you apply for a permit if you are going to be using it indoors for purposes like toilet flushing.

    If you’re interested in implementing the harvest of rainwater at your home, here’s a formula to estimate your annual water supply:
    Collection Area (sq. ft) x Rainfall (in/yr.) / 12 (in/ft) = Cubic Feet of Water/Year
    Cubic Feet/Year x 7.43 (Gallons/Cubic Foot) = Gallons/Year.

    23Jun, 2011
    The Water’s Lovely

    The borough council has completed a £30,000 improvement scheme on a pond at Newland Gardens, Newbold

    The pond a feature of the area since homes were built there before the Second World War has become badly sited. Surveys revealed that the situation was rapidly deteriorating and only a foot of water remained over the silt. As a result of this build up the pond was becoming stagnant and contained virtually no wildlife. The surveys revealed no pond life such as fish or frogs.

     

    The council’s scheme to breath new life into the area involved selective removal and thinning of the trees which surround the pond and the dredging and removal of almost 2,000 tonnes of silt.

     

    A floating pontoon dredger was used to remove the silt and debris from the pond, as this is the least environmentally damaging method available. Site works were carried out for the council  by Sheffield based contractor, Airload Environmental Ltd With the help of  Specialised Dredging Service’s amphibious excavator Dredger.

     

    The Dredger is mounted on a pontoon with 3 legs fitted with a hollow cylindrical wheels which allow the dredger to load on and load off itself from its transport. By the use of wheels and the dipper arm it can launch itself on 90% of applications unaided making it one of the most universal dredgers available. Once in the water it can carry out many tasks that normal excavators cannot achieve, clearing tree lined lakes and rivers maintenance work on islands plus numerous other applications.

    For More Info on pond Cleaning click here