Design a rainwater harvesting system for any home in any climate.


Water is a crucial resource increasingly under stress. Yet rainfall,
even in arid climates, can make up a sizable portion of any home,
acreage, or farm's water requirements if harvested and utilized with
care. The key is appropriate planning and high-quality site- and
climate-specific design.


Essential Rainwater Harvesting
is a comprehensive manual for designing, building, and maintaining water
harvesting systems for the warm and cold climates of the world.
Presenting design considerations and approaches for the most common
household rainwater supply scenarios - primary, supplemental, and
off-grid supply - this step-by-step approach covers:




Considerations for full-property water security
Demand planning and conservation strategies
Supply calculations and design implications for extreme rainfall and drought
Materials selection and water quality
System and site assessment
Sizing and design of gutters, conveyance, tanks, and pumps
Pre-filtration, filtration, and disinfection options
System maintenance and upkeep


This practical resource provides DIYers, trades, and rainwater
practitioners with the essential tools, methods, and technical know-how
to design, build, and maintain rainwater harvesting systems anywhere.


Rob Avis, P.Eng and Michelle Avis,
P.Eng own and operate Adaptive Habitat, a leading edge property design
firm for resilient homes, acreages, and farms and Verge Permaculture, a
globally recognized award-winning education business. They have over 20
years of combined experience in project management, ecological design,
and sustainable technologies, which they share at vergepermaculture.ca
from their suburban house and yard that they've transformed into a model
of cold climate urban permaculture in Calgary, Alberta.