Rain Water Harvesting

[kb76]

Hi,
In situations of pump failure within a tanked rain water harvest system (below ground) is there a way of filling via mains supply temporally ie via a filling link. As it stands the tank can be filled via a hose pipe but this is really only helpful when the emergency mains water solenoid has failed and won't fill the holding tank.
I understand rain water harvesting requires a catagory 5 air gap between mains water and the tank and cannot be connected directly. Is there another way to tap into the fed supply after the pump from the mains without breaking the cat 5 rule?
Thanks
kevin

 

[snowhead]

No.

There are 2 solutions;

Have a new spare pump available.
Have a twin pump setup with auto changeover /alarm.

I work on Commercial buildings, many of which now have RWH.
In most cases the Disabled W.C's are on mains only, as a back up.

 

[Unregistered]

Thanks. The system is feeding 6 holiday lodges each with 2 wc's. In one instance the pump failed which we replaced, however the 2nd time power was lost hence no water. I'm all for going green and RWH but when it fails it can cause a huge inconvenience. I'm surprised a suitable filling system/valve is not available these days to overcome these scenarios?

 

[kb76]

Thanks. The system is feeding 6 holiday lodges each with 2 wc's. In one instance the pump failed which we replaced, however the 2nd time power was lost hence no water. I'm all for going green and RWH but when it fails it can cause a huge inconvenience. I'm surprised a suitable filling system/valve is not available these days to overcome these scenarios?

 

[lame plumber]

pump it back up into a cwsc in a roof and you have a reserve when the pump fails, you can then connect that cwsc upto the mains if need be via a cat 5 connector. only way to cover all angles

 

[snowhead]

The problems come when the system doesn't use a high level storage tank and relies on the pump/s to provide pressure in the system and uses a low level break tank.

All the ones I see are like this.

 

[kb76]

True. They is no facility for additional tanks in this case. If you can imagine 6 single story lodges with rain water down pipes connected together below ground feeding a 1000gallon tank below ground level over 50m away. Then pumped back to the units, units have no loft space for back up so if power fails they've had it!

 

[lame plumber]

need to cough up for back up pump then no other easy choice

 

[Mike Jackson]

Back up generator or inverter to run the pump. Alternatively build a small water tower.

 

[kb76]

Unfortunately the system wasn't planned to well at the installation stage and additional back up storage is now not an option due to the site layout. We have 2 spare pumps on site now. Dragons Den opportunity here I feel...