Rainwater Harvesting is the practice of collecting water off a rooftop and directing it to a holding vessel, so you can store it for future uses like watering your garden, washing your car, using it in your home for toilet flushing, showers, and even for drinking. Rainwater harvesting also helps reduce your draw from wells or municipal water sources, and helps you limit and direct the amount of water draining elsewhere on your property and to stormwater infrastructure.

Rainwater Harvesting allows you to collect and use a valuable resource that is otherwise going to waste and potentially causing problems for your home. Rain is free - if you have a roof, you’re already halfway there. Installing a rainwater harvesting system allows you to capture the rain already falling on your property and use it for all sorts of things - watering gardens, washing windows, and even in-home uses like toilet flushing, showering, and drinking. Directing rain into holding tanks and to appropriate spots on your property also means you are keeping water out of your basement and preventing muddy spots on your yard. You’re also reducing your dependence on the municipality for water, and doing your part to limit the amount of water pouring into expensive municipal stormwater infrastructure.

Rainwater harvesting systems vary greatly depending on size and sophistication, but in general they consist of a holding tank to receive water from a roof surface, a prefilter to screen out rooftop debris, an overflow line for surplus water, and a use point in order to access your stored water. Some systems have small tanks, big tanks, multiple tanks, and sometimes underground tanks, and some systems have pumps to provide pressurized water. Most systems for in-home use will have water treatment equipment, to make sure water is brought to safe potable drinking water standards, which can be used for anything in the home. WaterFarmers custom designs every rainwater system to fit your needs, space, and budget.

It depends on the system’s design and your local climate. A seasonal system consists of an above-ground tank and must be drained before freezing weather. An all-season system is protected from freezing, either by burying the storage tank below the frost line or using an insulated & heated above ground tank. Seasonal systems are typically used for irrigation and outdoor use during warm months, whereas year-round systems can collect rain and snowmelt, and are used mostly for in-home water supply.

Most municipalities in Ontario do not require a permit for seasonal & above ground rain barrels. Larger underground cisterns or really big above ground tanks may need to follow local by-law guidelines and / or permit processes. WaterFarmers can help you determine what is allowed in your area and what the process is for approval, if necessary.

Maintenance is generally minimal. For seasonal systems, just rinse out the tank once a year, check for debris, and make sure to drain everything before freezing temperatures. More sophisticated systems with water treatment equipment will have filters & UV lights that need to be replaced at regular intervals, usually every 6 months to a year. Most components of a rainwater harvesting system should last well over 10 years, and an average homeowner spend sunder an hour a month on maintenance. WaterFarmers strives to keep things simple and user friendly, and we provide ongoing support for the life of your system.

Yes, with the right material choices and treatment equipment, rainwater can be brought up to potable standards quite simply, just like water from a well, lake, or river can be used in homes and cottages that do not have access to a municipal water supply.

Prices for a professionally installed rainwater harvesting system can range from $500 to $50,000 depending on the size and sophistication of the system. Fill out our “Contact Us” form and we will work with you to determine the right plan and price for your needs.

If you do a lot of outdoor watering (gardens, lawns, washing cars and windows), a rainwater harvesting system can reduce your monthly bill significantly - especially in the summertime. Long term, if your city implements or raises a stormwater fee, your system can will help offset that and can also qualify you for credits, boosting savings. Systems that use collected water for in-home uses like toilet flushing, laundry washing, bathing, cooking, washing dishes, and for drinking, can save a significant amount of their water bill or replace it completely.

Absolutely! Our rainwater calculator tool is a good start to see how much rainwater you can expect to collect from your rooftop, and further consultation with WaterFarmers will provide a more accurate view of how much water your can expect and when, and will help you size an appropriate storage tank or tanks to catch all that water. You don’t need to collect every drop, but sizing your system correctly will ensure you collect enough for your needs, without taking up too much space or costing more than necessary.