Rainwater+Capture+System

//Brief introduction about the project//
This is a water related sustainability project. By collecting rainwater ACT will decrease its water dependability from the municipal water network or other sources.

The rooftops of the buildings will be used to gather the rainwater -as they do- and using a pipe system collect it in a reservoir underground. From there, using a pump, the water will be sent to a high water tank and then flow in the ACT water network. Since the rainwater is not suitable for drinking, the collected water could be used for irrigation or for secondary uses. With a suitable cleaning and purification system it could be made drinkable.

//Questions this project will answer://
1. What other institutions do about the same problem? Various Universities have such a system or plan to do one in the future. Check here for some examples.

2. What is the current water usage in the campus? As said, ACT is using aquifer water to serve a population of about 560 persons. Water usage data is about 25 cubic meters daily or 8900 cubic meters annually. More analytically here.

3. What are the requirements of a Rainwater Capture System? Such a system needs no major alterations to the building or its surrounding. The equipment can be all underground or just visible with only one tank above the ground keeping space requirements minimum. Depending on the water usage, adequate rainfall is needed for the system to be efficient and work properly.

//Task table (5 Apr 2012)//
- Gather campus water usage data (done) - Gather local rainfall data (done) - Estimate project requirements

//Rainfall data (18 Apr 2012)//
Rainfall data for the year 2010 (added 25 Apr 2012) Rainfall data for the year 2011

The data was gathered online from a local weather station, located at Pylaia, approximately 1300 m South of the American College of Thessaloniki.

Source: ITHESSAL17 online weather station at Pylaia, Thessaloniki, Greece - Hellas

Overall yearly rainfall for the year 2009 is 463 mm, for 2010 is 580 mm and for 2011 is 350 mm. Rainfall for the current year, 2012, follows the pattern of the 2010 rainfall. Thus, the average yearly rainfall for the area is at 450 mm.

//Campus water usage data (25 Apr 2012)//
cubic meters ||= ACT campus usage cubic meters ||
 * =  ||= Total campus usage
 * = Daily avg ||= 120 ||= 24,8 ||
 * = Monthly avg ||= 3600 ||= 743 ||
 * = Yearly avg ||= 43200 ||= 8916 ||

The water for the ACT campus as well as for the whole Anatolia campus comes from an aquifer through Anatolia's water pumping station. The average daily usage for the whole campus is 120 cubic meters and for the ACT campus alone is 24.8 cubic meters. Thus the yearly average consumption of water for the campus is 8916 cubic meters of water.

//**Project Requirements (29 May 2012)**//
The plan and equipment:
 * Use the rooftops as funnels: New Building roof is approximately 52 x 18 = 936 square meters
 * Construct a 600 cubic meter tank as the primary reservoir for the collected water. The capacity is for one month's needs.
 * A pump
 * Construct a water tower with a capacity of 25 cubic meters -a day's needs. Water in water towers is pressurized by gravity and can be available in high quantities.
 * Various pipes and fittings to connect the system with the irrigation system, the toilet water system or even the main water system.

**//Estimation and Conclusion (29 May 2012)//**
Combining the rainfall and usage data the following estimation can be made.
 * Estimation**


 * New Building roof area: 936 square meters
 * Average annual precipitation: 450 mm


 * Total annual water yield: 419 cubic meters
 * Total annual water needs: 8916 cubic meters


 * Approximately 4.7% of the annual water needs for the ACT campus could be supplied by the system

A Rainwater Capture System captures the water as it falls from the sky and before it enders the ground to get into the aquifer. It decreases underground water usage via pumps and ground erosion as it is captured long before it reaches the ground. And considering the scarcity of drinkable water a Rainwater Capture System should be better investigated for the ACT campus.
 * Conclusion**