Rainwater Harvesting: Concept

and Case Study in School of

Humanities, Universiti Sains
Malaysia
Ang Sek Chuan1 & Chan Ngai Weng2
Research Officer1, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Professor2, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Geography Section, School of Humanities,
Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia.
 Introduction
• Water is a limited resources
• Getting scarce
• More expensive than petrol
• Drought getting frequent
• Water crises
• Penang import water from Kedah
• RWH is an ancient practice
 Methods

• Literature review
• Tag along the project
 Results & Discussion

A systematic diagram of RWH concept

 RWH Model in USM

• There are 12 components in

the RWH model used in USM
 1 Roof surface.
This is an open
area where
rainwater is
being collected
and flow into
the gutter. The
larger the
surface, the
more rainwater
will be collected.
 2 Conveyance
Gutter.
The gutter holds
the rainwater
and channel
towards the
many outlet
called gutter
outlets and
down the pipe
called
downsprouts.
3 Diverter. A device to
block the numerous
gutter outlets so that
rainwater could be
blocked and diverted
to the main
downsprout that
channel to the storage
tank. When heavy rain
could cause overflow,
then the rainwater
just overflow the
numerous diverters
into the downsprouts
without causing
flooding of the
conveyance gutter.
 4
Downpipes/downsprouts.
It is the downward pipes
leading from the gutter
outlet to the drain.
Usually there are many
gutter outlets and
downsprouts leading
away from the gutter. In
RWH, the main
downsprout divert the
rainwater into the storage
tank. The other
downsprouts will only be
overflowing with
rainwater during heavy
rain.
 5 Filter. A wire
mesh filtered
leaves litter and
other solid
wastes as
rainwater
gushes down
the downsprout
from the gutter
outlet.
6 First Flush Diverter.
This is where the first
80 liters (the model
used in USM) or the
few minutes of
rainwater will be
collected before
cleaner rainwater
overflow the first
flush diverter and
continue cleaner
rainwater into the
storage tank.
First Flush and
Storage tank
7 Storage Tank.
Clean rainwater
enter the
storage tank
after going
through the
wire mesh filter
and first flush
diverter.
8. Booster Pump.
The booster
pump will pump
the rainwater to
roof tank. The
rainwater is being
pumped via the
automatic water
controller.
Booster Pump and Automatic
Water Regulator

Automatic Water Regulator

Booster Pump
9. Automatic water controller
(USM uses RainBank®). A
device to automatically switch
between storage tank and
mains water (PBA supply).
When rainwater has completely
exhausted, the device will
automatically allow mains
water to flow through thus it
does not cause any interrupted
in water supply. When electric
power is cut off, this device will
also automatically releases the
mains water. This automatic
water controller comes with a
rainwater switch which is
placed inside the storage tank
to gauge the water level. When
water level is low, it will trigger
the release of mains water
supply.
 10.
Mains water
supply.
The automatic water
controller is
connected to a
mains water supply
point. The mains
water will be
triggered when there
is no electricity or
when water is
exhausted in the
storage tank.
 11.
Roof tank. Water is
send to the roof
tank to be stored for
distribution in the
household use such
as toilets, washing
machine and general
use. It uses the
gravitional pull to
distribute the water
supply. The toilets in
buildings C11 and
C12 used rainwater
from the roof tanks.
 12.
Distribution
plumbing.
From the automatic
water controller,
rainwater will supply
the rainwater for
usage in outlets such
as toilets and garden
taps through the roof
tank.
• Important
to have
signage to
show user
on the use
of
rainwater.
 Safety

Buildings C20 and C24 with the tanks on hillslope in

USM. The potential danger of leak and overflow
from tank could soften ground and cause
landslide.
• Safety on overflow. Left tank with correct
overflow and the right tank without overflow
pipe.
 Building and the utilization of
rainwater as at (date)
Building Cistern Sizes Deployed in
C11/C12 2000 gallons (7570 litres) 8 WCs & 8
WCs’ taps

C20 2000 gallons (7570 litres) Not utilize

C24 2000 gallons (7570 litres) Not utilize
1000 gallons (3785 litres) Use in
gardening
• Usage of Mains Water vs Rainwater (RW) at
C11/C12
Conclusion - Average 26% of saving
Date Mains RW Total % RW used

06-Jan 1634 0398 2032 20%

13-Jan 3253 0516 3769 14%
20-Jan 4798 1095 5893 19%
27-Jan 5348 1271 6619 19%
03-Feb 3498 2499 5997 42%
10-Feb 1868 1366 3234 42%
Total 20399 7145 27544 26%

Future study: Cost of electricity vs saving in water.

Terima Kasih