Eco Houses Feltwell, Norfolk
Rainwater Harvesting Systems installed at Upcher Close, Feltwell, Norfolk for Hastoe Housing AssociationThe Site
· Twelve Dwellings, consisting of 4 no. one bed houses, 5 no. two bed houses and 3 no. three bed houses, were constructed at Upcher Close in Feltwell, Norfolk,between February 2007 and February 2008
The Aim
· A Rainwater Harvesting System was installed to each property in order to improve water efficiency. This was done by reducing the mains water supply
· equirement to the dwellings and reducing surface water run-off from the dwellings.
· The size of the underground tanks are 3,300litres.
Advantages of Rainwater Harvesting
- Water supply utility bills are reduced
- Less surface water discharging from the development therefore reducing risk of flooding downstream
- Reduction in mains water supply needed
- Rainwater supplied to washing machines is soft water therefore in hard water areas limescale damage is reduced (Feltwell is located in a hard water area)
- Occupiers can be more relaxed about using larger quantities of water i.e.washing cars/watering gardens
Disadvantages of Rainwater Harvesting
- If there is a power cut, the system does not work and tenants cannot flush their toilets
- Additionally, if a tenant has an electric meter and allows the meter to run empty, toilets cannot be flushed
- There is a “clunk” noise every time a toilet is flushed
- Increased maintenance of the dwellings. Guttering must be cleaned out regularly in order for rainwater to be transported to the tank without blockage. Also, the filter in the tank should be cleaned out annually.
- Occupiers can switch system over to mains supply quite easily and therefore some tenants are not using the rainwater harvesting system
Costs of installing Rainwater Harvesting
· The cost of installing each rainwater harvesting system at Feltwell indicated by Contractor was around £3,500.
Impact that Rainwater Harvesting has had on Occupier’s bills
The impact on occupier’s bills varied at Feltwell, from no change to a huge saving of paying only £9.16 a month for water. The impact the rainwater harvesting had on occupier’s bills depended on the amount of time the occupier’s changed the system over to mains supply
· Twelve Dwellings, consisting of 4 no. one bed houses, 5 no. two bed houses and 3 no. three bed houses, were constructed at Upcher Close in Feltwell, Norfolk,between February 2007 and February 2008
The Aim
· A Rainwater Harvesting System was installed to each property in order to improve water efficiency. This was done by reducing the mains water supply
· equirement to the dwellings and reducing surface water run-off from the dwellings.
· The size of the underground tanks are 3,300litres.
Advantages of Rainwater Harvesting
- Water supply utility bills are reduced
- Less surface water discharging from the development therefore reducing risk of flooding downstream
- Reduction in mains water supply needed
- Rainwater supplied to washing machines is soft water therefore in hard water areas limescale damage is reduced (Feltwell is located in a hard water area)
- Occupiers can be more relaxed about using larger quantities of water i.e.washing cars/watering gardens
Disadvantages of Rainwater Harvesting
- If there is a power cut, the system does not work and tenants cannot flush their toilets
- Additionally, if a tenant has an electric meter and allows the meter to run empty, toilets cannot be flushed
- There is a “clunk” noise every time a toilet is flushed
- Increased maintenance of the dwellings. Guttering must be cleaned out regularly in order for rainwater to be transported to the tank without blockage. Also, the filter in the tank should be cleaned out annually.
- Occupiers can switch system over to mains supply quite easily and therefore some tenants are not using the rainwater harvesting system
Costs of installing Rainwater Harvesting
· The cost of installing each rainwater harvesting system at Feltwell indicated by Contractor was around £3,500.
Impact that Rainwater Harvesting has had on Occupier’s bills
The impact on occupier’s bills varied at Feltwell, from no change to a huge saving of paying only £9.16 a month for water. The impact the rainwater harvesting had on occupier’s bills depended on the amount of time the occupier’s changed the system over to mains supply
