Rainwater harvesting and water restrictions

Question: I've got my rainwater harvesting system installed, should I worry about hosepipe bans and other water restrictions?





Answer: You need to be aware that most rainwater harvesting systems are in fact ultimately connected to the mains water supply. Therefore, you can use water from a hose, providing the local water company (imposing/enforcing, the restriction) haven't supplied the water.


We at Freerain, routinely supply systems without a mains top-up specially for external/garden rainwater harvesting This ultimately protects the customer from any grey areas or mis-understandings. Quite simply, if the hose/sprinkler has water, its rainwater, if not the tank is empty!!!

For the latest information about hosepipe bans and general water restrictions, I would recommend visiting Hosepipeban.org.uk There you will find links to the water authority sites, water saving tips and a forum.

We may not have had any major water restrictions in the UK for a few years, but with a population increase and the effects of climate change, we are certain to have more water stress.

Another solution

Where rainwater harvesting systems are used for both internal and external demands, a mains top-up is essential. Direct pressure systems (whereby the water is supplied a pump pressure) mains water must pass through a class AA air-gap (see WRAS) to avoid any cross-contamination between potable and non-potable water. The easiest way is to top-up the external (underground) storage tank with mains water at time of low level. This then raises the possibility of a hosepipe supplying mains water on to the garden. Which during a hosepipe ban would make the system fall under the ban. One water to remove this is to install a header tank (break tank) in the property. This way, pump pressure can be sent to the outside tap directly. But all the mains water topping up occurs in the the header tank. So, the only water to pass through a hosepipe would be the locally collected rainwater.