Ecological solutions for rainwater drainage systems

Rainwater plays an extremely important role in processes such as land or building irrigation. Specialised rainwater systems make it possible, for example, to water the garden or the lawn. In addition, rainwater can be used in the household for laundry or to power cisterns in bathrooms. The use of rainwater is economical and ecological.

Table of contents:

Ways of using rainwater in the past and today
Tanks as the primary means of rainwater disposal
Drainage of rainwater from gutters
Drainage of rainwater from under buildings
Helpful accessories for rainwater drainage
Automation in garden irrigation

Ways of using rainwater in the past and today

Current methods of rainwater management have developed significantly over the last twenty years, but in the In the past, the approach to rainwater was the complete opposite. Classic rain vodkas are discharged as quickly as possible into storm and combined sewer systems and then into watercourses (mainly rivers).

Over the years, these rainwater drainage systems have become inefficientwhich led to flooding and property damage. Two factors have contributed to this. The first is rapid climate change, resulting in less frequent but more frequent heavy rainfall. The second is a increase in paved areas and urbanisation of citieswhich contributed to an increase in the volume of water discharged.

Today's stormwater systems are designed on the basis of new guidelines. Changes to the guidelines take into account greater catchment area and greater rainfall volume per unit area and rainfall time. Modern construction also puts for the retention and infiltration of rainwater from properties (e.g. using rainwater from roofs).

Tanks as the primary means of rainwater collection or retention

The most common way to drain rainwater is through use of a tank: underground single-chamber, above ground or infiltration box.

• Single-chamber underground tanks (e.g. Verte-S 750L single-chamber vertical tank, Verte-SU single-chamber tank 950L vertical are among the classic and simplest solutions. Their advantages include low weight (made of lightweight plastics), ease of transport, versatility (can be used as a septic tank, septic tank and rainwater retention tank). The largest The disadvantage is the susceptibility to misassembly.

Most often, they are already equipped with lid and inlet crotch. In addition, they can be equipped with filtration equipment, i submersible pumps.

• Recently, the following have been gaining popularity drainage box tanks, e.g. Drainage box 1200×600 STORMBOX. From these boxes it is possible to create a universal tank of any shape and capacity. They are laid in the trench side by side and one on top of the other and then connects with clips or mounting clips (e.g. connecting clip for STORMBOX drainage box). The bottom layer is placed on special bottoms (Drainage box bottom 1200×600 mm STORMBOX), which provide the tank with strength. The next step is installation of necessary fittings: vent, inlet and, if applicable, outlet or inspection chamber. Finally, the tank is wrapped tightly geotextile (permeable to water), providing a barrier and protection against siltation of the reservoir.

Drainage box tanks can have two functions: drainage and retention.

Drainage function

Allows gradual return of collected rainwater to the groundwhich allows maintain proper irrigation of the area, reduces the risk of flooding and relieves the burden on municipal sewage networks,

Retention function

Provides rainwater storage, to apply it later on the property.

• The last type of rainwater tank is the popular and aesthetically pleasing above-ground tanks. Connected to the guttering system, enable the efficient use of rainwater. They have the appearance of a 200-500 litre water barrel. At surface or inside a connected gutter, a simple rainwater harvesting device is installed (positioned at an appropriate height), whose task is to intercepting rainwater flowing down the gutter walls and directing it, via a pipe, to an above-ground tank. A tap is installed here, which allows you to fill a watering can or connect a garden hose. The advantage of an above-ground tank is simplicity and freedom of assembly. It is limited by low volume and low pressure  water intake (less than 1 bar) at the tap from the tank, making it impossible to use simple control systems without additional pumps.

Drainage of rainwater from gutters

Another of the ways in which water can be drained from gutters is through specialised drainage systems. The simplest drainage system consists of a sub-drainage basin, discharge pipes (drainage pipe without holes, e.g. PVC drainage pipe without holes or sealed sewage pipes) and seepage (e.g. PVC 100 drainage pipe, PVC 100 drainage pipe with PP 700 casing or PVC 100 drainage pipe with geotextile lagging). Before wrainwater is discharged into the ground, it must be discharged at a safe distance from the building foundations (approximately 1.5m). Then the drainage pipe is connected to the seepage pipewhich discharges rainwater through perforated walls.

Drainage pipes are most effective on permeable soils (sands and gravels), a least on impervious ground (clay, silt). Drainage pipe must be installed in sand or gravel beddingto protect it from siltation. It is also used geotextile filter or special polypropylene fibre lagging.

The drainage system can be connected to various settling wells, catch basins, underground tanks or rainwater barrels.

The advantages of drainage include low purchase cost of individual components, easy installation and wide range of applications. All components are press-fit or gasketed. The disadvantage is low volume in the event of driving rain and installation in a trench, making the installation of drainage only paid for during the construction of a new property.

Drainage of rainwater from under buildings

The final method of rainwater drainage is the use of linear drainage, which collects rainwater from under buildingsi.e. pavements, terrace edges, driveways, garages. Linear drainage systems can be connect in such a way that rainwater enters a drainage system or green areas.

For linear drainage we use troughs (e.g. gutter PP A15, Trough grating galvanized A15, Cast iron gutter C250), which are performed with plastic, concrete or polymer concrete, and covering them grates made of plastic, galvanised steel or cast iron.

If you decide to use this method of rainwater drainage, you must pay particular attention to the strength class of the tray. The largest selection are Class A15 troughs designed for pedestrian and cycle traffic. If a linear drain is installed in surfaces that can withstand the impact of a passenger car, it is necessary to use of class B125, C250 or D400 trays.

Helpful accessories for rainwater drainage

When constructing stormwater drainage systems useful additions: cellular geogrid and parking grating. Cellular geogrid (Green geogrid H50 mesh 210×210) of plastic is grating for hardening of flat surfaces, strengthening of slopes or sloping areas. Protects the land from landslides and increases its carrying capacity without reducing the absorbent area. Parking grillea (Lawn (parking) grating 50×50 cm green), made of recycled plastic, consists of openwork segments allowing rainwater to infiltrate and hold up on demanding surfaces.

Automation in garden irrigation

Garden irrigation automation allows you to receive better results with less water by its better management and more targeted use. Regardless of how the garden is irrigated (rainwater or tap water), automatic control system in the form of a Raid Bain driver (Rain Bird water controller plastic) in a simple and inexpensive way prevents water wastage when watering. It allows you to schedule two watering cycles per day (setting their times, duration) and to water the area unattended. In addition, we offer polyethylene irrigation pipes (e.g. pressure irrigation pipe PE 16×1.2 mm) to supply water to the washer nozzles, and drip lines (dripline DN 16mm), whose task is to Spot watering of plants in precisely targeted areas.

Rainwater drainage is an important process. It is made possible in many different ways, all of which share a common characteristic that is very important in this day and age: an ecological focus.