Performance Evaluation of Rainwater Harvesting on the Rooftops of Residential Buildings to Enhance Non-potable Water Demand in the Coastal Cities of Iran

Subject Areas : Subjects

M.H رشیدی مهرآبادی ¹ (دانشجوی دکتری مهندسی عمران - آب، دانشکده فنی و مهندسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات تهران)
B. ثقفیان ² (استاد گروه مهندسی عمران، دانشکده فنی و مهندسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات تهران)
M.S صادقیان ³ (استادیار گروه مهندسی عمران، دانشکده فنی و مهندسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد تهران مرکزی)

Received: 2014-03-01 Accepted : 2014-03-01 Published : 2014-02-20

Keywords: Rainwater harvesting, hydrological conditions, rain water storage tanks, daily non-potable demand,

Abstract :

Due to potable water shortage, groundwater pollution and an increase in water demand as a result of population growth, many Iranian communities, especially the coastal cities, are facing water crisis. Rainwater collection from the rooftops of residential buildings in towns and villages for non-potable water and greenery irrigation demand would be a practical solution to reduce the growing crisis of water supply for citizens. As the wide examples of  ​impervious surfaces of cities are formed by the rooftops, the volume of rainwater harvested from the area is significant, which could be considered as a valuable alternative in water resources management. The rooftop rainwater harvesting system and the water tanks’ performance for storage and enhancement of daily non-potable water demand were analyzed in residential buildings in four coastal cities, namely Rasht, Gorgan, Bushehr and Bandar Abbas. Results of this study showed that if the tanks’ volume and daily non-potable water demand of residents calculated based on the physical and hydrological conditions of buildings, then rainwater storage in them would reach its maximum and the water demand. Large and small tanks could supply satisfied for a longer time. At least 75% of the non-potable water demand in 70 and 50 percent of the year, respectively in the City of Rasht. This will be 39% and 32% for the City of Gorgan, 15% and 11% for the City of Busher, and 10% and 7% for the City of Bandar Abbas.

References:

1. دفتر تحقیقات و معیارهای فنی،د مبانی و ضوبط طراحی طرح های آبرسانی شهری، نسشریه شماره 13-117، سازمان برنامه و بودجه، 1371
2 . شرکت های رایانه ای آناهیتا و ایده های نرم افزاری مینو، تحقیقات و ساماندهی تقاضا و طراحی و اجرای مدل، ویرایش هشتم، فرودین 1391.
3. Abdulla, F.A., and A.W. Al-Shareef.
2009. Roof rainwater harvesting systems
for household water supply in Jordan. J.
Desalin. 243: 195-207.
4. Campisano, A., and C. Modica. 2012.
Optimal sizing of storage tanks for
domestic rainwater harvesting in Sicily.
J. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 63: 9-16.
5. Eroksuz, E., and A. Rahman. 2010.
Rainwater tanks in multi-unit buildings:
A case study for three Australian cities. J.
Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 54: 1449-1452.
6. Ghisi, E., D.L. Bressan, and M. Martini.
2007. Rainwater tank capacity and
potential for potable water savings by
using rainwater in the residential sector
of southeastern Brazil. J. Build. Environ.
42: 1654-1666.
7. Imteaz, M.A., A. Shanableh, A. Rahman,
and A. Ahsan. 2011 (a). Optimization of
rainwater tank design from large roofs: A
case study in Melbourne, Australia. J.
Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 55: 1022-1029.
8. Imteaz, M.A., A. Ahsan, J. Naser, and A.
Rahman. 2011 (b). Reliability analysis of
rainwater tanks in Melbourne using daily
water balance model. J. Resour. Conserv.
Recycl. 56: 80-86.
9. Imteaz, M.A., O.B. Adeboye, S.
Rayburg, and A. Shanableh. 2012.
Rainwater harvesting potential for
southwest Nigeria using daily water
balance model. J. Resour. Conserv.
Recycl. 62: 51-55.
10. Jones, M.P., and W.F. Hunt. 2010.
Performance of rainwater harvesting
systems in the southeastern United
States. J. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 54:
623-629.
11. Kahinda, J.M., A.E. Taighenu, and J.R.
Boroto. 2007. Domestic rainwater
harvesting to improve water supply in
rural South Africa. J. Phys. Chem. Earth.
32: 1050-1057.
12. Palla, A.,I. Gnecco, and L.G. Lanza.
2011. Non-dimensional design
parameters and performance assessment
of rainwater harvesting systems. J.
Hydrol. 401: 65-76.
13. Rahman, A., J. Keanea, M.A. Imteaz.
2012. Rainwater harvesting in Greater
Sydney: Water savings, reliability and
economic benefits. J. Resour. Conserv.
Recycl. 61: 16- 21.
14. Rashidi Mehrabadi, M.H., B. Saghafian,
and F. Haghighi Fashi. 2013. Assessment
of residential rainwater harvesting
efficiency for meeting non-potable water
demands in three climate conditions. J.
Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 73: 86-93.
15. Song, J., M. Han, T. Kim, and J. Song.
2008. Rainwater harvesting as a
sustainable water supply option in Banda
Aceh. J. Desalin. 248: 233-240.
16. Sturm, M., M. Zimmermann, K. Schütz,
W. Urban, and H. Hartung. 2009.
Rainwater harvesting as an alternative
water resource in rural sites in central
northern Namibia. J. Phys. Chem. Earth.
34: 776–785.
17. Su, M.D., C.H. Lin, L.F. Chang, J.L.
kang, and M.C. Lin. 2009. A
probabilistic approach to rainwater
harvesting systems design and
evaluation. J. Resour. Conserv. Recycl.
53: 393-399.
18. Vialle, C., C. Sablayrolles, M. Lovera,
M.C. Huau, S. Jacob, and M.
Montrejaud-Vignoles. 2012. Water
15
quality monitoring and hydraulic
evaluation of a household roof runoff
harvesting system in France. J. Water
Resour. Manage. 26: 2233-2241.

_||_