Restoring an old cistern

   If you're reading this, chances are you just discovered an old brick or stone cistern in your yard. Perhaps you hit a cast iron cap? Or maybe you were out in the yard and noticed a small hole and, as you dug around, noticed that hole got deeper and deeper, and that there were bricks lining the hole? 

Cisterns were a huge part of early infrastructure. It was commonplace – especially in the north – to incorporate a cistern when a new home was constructed pre-1920. In fact, I can almost guarantee that homes built here in Columbus, Ohio by or before 1920 had a cistern or a hand-dug well on-site, and the cistern was probably made from brick, was hand-dug, and was made into a sphere (typically proportional in size to the roof from which it was harvesting rain). We ourselves have come across and/or been inside more than 50 old cisterns within Columbus city limits alone. 

So what are your options if you discover an old cistern? 

Old cisterns can be relatively easy to restore if the following are true:

   1) It is not full of debris;

   2) The downspouts are still connected to the existing downspout drains; and

   3) The cistern is still water tight.

Typically, though, none of those three things are true with old cisterns we come across, in which case it can be a very labor intensive process to get the cistern back up-and-running.

If none of the above three items are true for your tank, then it is most likely going to be less expensive to fill in your existing cistern and replace it with a new tank. However, if the cistern does not have much debris in it, then the most labor-intensive process can be crossed off the list (whew!). 

If you can see inside the tank, then the next thing to check is whether or not downspouts are still running into it. The easiest way to do this is to simply bring a garden hose to the downspout that is closest to your cistern, and, if the downspout runs into a pipe that leads underground, run the water and let it drain straight into that pipe. Let it run for a few minutes, then go to the cistern and listen for incoming water. If nothing, then try another downspout. If nothing again, then chances are good that your downspout drains no longer tie into your cistern, in which case new drainage will have to be run.

If you do have water draining in, then the third and final thing to check is whether the tank is holding water. To do this, fill the tank to a visible water level. Measure, then measure again, and write down the confirmed measurement. Wait a day and take a new measurement. If the two measurements are the same, you're in luck again! If they are not, then your tank walls need to be re-sealed or lined. Re-sealing or lining your cistern is a somewhat DIY-friendly project, and we carry several product lines that help with this process, including our own customized cistern liners made from flexible potable-grade PVC or PE fabric. 

Once the tank is sealed and the downspouts are draining to it, the last step will be establishing a way to draw the water out of the tank. Typically, our customers use electric pumps for this, but we also have helped a lot of folks restore that old-fashioned look by installing our line of manual hand pumps. 

For more information, please contact us today and we can help guide you through the process and get you the products you need to make your job easy, safe, and cost-effective. And, as always, thanks for reading!

Instant $50 Rebate on Rain Barrels for Franklin County Residents

The Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District is offering a $50 rebate for rain barrels through its GreenSpot Community Backyards program for Franklin County, Ohio residents. Rain Brothers is partnering with the conservation organization by offering the instant $50 rebate when qualifying participants purchase one of our rain barrels. Add that to our new free shipping on rain barrels for metro-Columbus residents, and catching some rain just got a whole lot cheaper!

The Greenspot Community Backyards rebate program focuses on rainwater runoff and its detrimental impacts on local water quality, streambank erosion, and localized flooding. Participants learn how to install rain barrels and rain gardens, along with other sustainable practices such as composting at home and the use of native plants. To qualify for the rebate, residents of Franklin County must first join the Greenspot program, which encourages homeowners, businesses, non-profits and community groups to become members and make a commitment to the environment. Participants must also register and complete a online course with the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District in order to qualify for the rebate.

Once you have the rebate, you will be given a coupon code and can complete your purchase through our online store, or by visiting our friends at City Folks Farm Shop. 

For more information about the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District and its 2016 Greenspot Community Backyards program, check out the program here. The program offically begins in April 2016 and also offers rebates towards compost bins and native plants for qualifying participants.

Concrete Cistern pH

Concrete cisterns are, in our experience, the best type of tank to use for underground drinking water systems. Rainwater tends to have a lower pH (acidic), while concrete has a higher pH (alkaline). As rainwater fills a concrete tank, the concrete then actually helps neutralize the water and balance the pH, if not slightly alkalinize it, which is why, after the cistern has gone through a few empty-full cycles, a litmus test of your cistern water would reveal a pH of between 6-8 – the optimal range for a good drinking water system.

While concrete cisterns help neutralize acidic rainwater, initially, the residual concrete dust from the manufacturing/casting of the tanks will elevate the water's pH to high alkaline levels (10-11). This is completely normal, though for new concrete cisterns, precautions should be taken to get water down to 7-9 range. There are two approaches to managing this initial alkalinity:

1) Flush the tank. For this method, we recommend hauling in a load of water from a local water hauler (in Ohio, a list of water haulers can be obtained through your County's Department of Health or from the Ohio Department of Health Office of Environmental Health). You can then use the hauled water to rinse the walls of the tank to remove as much concrete dust residue as possible. Do not drink this water, but instead either pump it out after a few days or use it for non-potable applications (flushing toilets, showering, irrigation, etc.). Occasionally, it may take two and sometimes three full empty-fill cycles before the water inside the tank reaches a safe pH level of 9.

2) Pressure wash/scrub. For this method, once the tank has initially been installed, use a pressure washer with a 55-gallon drum of clean water and a cup of unscented chlorine bleach to pressure wash the walls of the tank. You may also use a scrub brush with a bucket of water/chlorine mix and hand scrub the walls. Doing so will remove the majority of concrete dust from the side walls. Then, when possible, pump out the water from the bottom of the tank (note: you may have to put more water into the tank to be able to pump the "dirty water" out). If it is not possible to pump out the bottom of the tank after pressure washing/scrubbing, then get a load of hauled water into the tank but do not drink water from this load. Again, use that first load for non-potable uses only.

These precautions may sound intimidating, but the reality is that the work on the front end is minimal compared to the lifetime of fresh, clean water you will receive from a concrete cistern.

As always, thanks for reading.

How to Prevent Your Pump From Burning Up

Electric pumps are a beautiful thing. My great-grandfather and grandpa would spend days in South Dakota installing a single windmill pump for a water well. Now, it usually takes us an hour at the most to install an electric well/cistern pump... all with flow/pressure results that are much more reliable and impressive than my great-grandfather could've ever imagined. 

Yet, as great as they are, electric pumps can be a headache (at best) if and when they burn up. A quality electric pump should last upwards of 15 years of continual household use. There are certain precautions you can take to ensure that your pump lives out its fullest potential. 

First, why does a pump burn up? Typically, pumps die on us because they ran dry. In other words, the cistern or well ran out of water, but the pump kept running... and running... and running. Pumps are designed so that incoming water, as it passes through the pump body and the impellers, acts as a cooling agent to keep the pump's electric motor cool. Without water, the motor runs hot, and as it heats up, impellers start to warp, bearings start to give, and the motor starts to seize. 

The best way to prevent your pump from burning up, then, is to prevent it from ever running dry (and, by the way, this tutorial is true for both above-ground jet pumps and submersible pumps). There are a few different ways of accomplishing this:

1) A Normally-Open Float Switch - A float switch is just what it sounds like: a floating switch. Picture a light switch that rides the water level. When the water level is high, the switch is up and the power is on. When the water level is low, the float switch drops down and turns the power off. There are two types of float switches: Normally closed and normally open. One turns the power off when the water level is down (normally open) and open turns power on when the water level is down (normally closed... generally used to turn on a light to warn of low water level). If you want to absolutely guarantee that your pump will never run dry, interrupt your pump's power supply with a normally open float switch and set the switch so that it turns the switch "off" when the water level is still just above your pump's intake. (By the way, we carry a pump that has a built-in float switch).

2) A Low-Pressure Cut-Off Pressure Switch - A pressure switch is the most popular method for controlling a pump (automatically turning it on and off). There is an alternative pressure switch – one that has a toggle-switch on the side that is influenced by low pressure situations. Specifically, when the water pressure dips below 12 PSI, the toggle switch disconnects the pump's circuit and shuts the pump off. 12 PSI is significant because a functioning water pump (one that is appropriately sized) does not just dip down to 12 PSI unless something else is going on – and, often times, we can assume that "what's going on" is that the pump has started to draw air into its line and is therefore struggling to build pressure. Installing a low-pressure cut-off switch definitely does a great job at saving pumps (especially above-ground jet pumps). However, it also does a great job at being a bit of a hassle for the homeowner, mainly due to the fact that, in order to get your pump running again, you have to manually pull up on the toggle switch and hold it until your pump builds up pressure again. However, if you're looking for a cheap and easy pump-saving solution, a low-pressure cut-off switch may be just your ticket.

3) A Pumpsaver – Pumpsavers are electronic sensors that detect amperage draws. When a pump draws air (i.e., when the tank is low), a pump pulls higher than normal amperage. A pumpsaver will detect that differential, and will go through a shutdown mode of the pump circuit. Initially, the pumpsaver will run through a test mode, shutting down for a few seconds and then turning back on to see if the abnormal power draw is still present. If it is, the pumpsaver will go through another shutdown mode and will continue a small cycle before shutting power down completely, at which case the pumpsaver has to be manually overridden in order to turn back on. Pumpsavers are excellent products and definitely do a great job at protecting pumps. However, this is the most expensive option.

Thanks for reading!

Simple, cheap rain barrel platform

We recently added a video to our youtube page detailing our favorite way to make a simple, inexpensive rain barrel platform. We hope you like it!

How to install a cistern pump

On our youtube page, we uploaded a video last year that reviews the basic components of a cistern pump, as well as details how cistern pumps are installed. In this case, we focused specifically on submersible cistern pumps that use a pressure switch for the pump control, as well as a pressure tank to regulate water pressure inside the house. Here is that video.

Since uploading this, we started to carry a new cistern pump -- one that does not require a pressure tank or a pressure switch to operate. That pump is our new Groundfos SBA submersible pump, and here is the video for that product:

UV Sterilization in Rain Harvesting Systems

Ultra-violet sterilization units should be installed last in the filtration set-up.  Because water clarity is important in ensuring good penetration (and therefore optimal sterilization) by the UV lamp, it is vital to have all the layers of sediment filtration occur prior to the UV lamp, as shown here.  

All About First Flush Diverters

Downspout First Flush Water Diverters improve water quality and reduce tank/cistern maintenance by preventing the first flush of water, which may contain roof contaminants, from entering the tank/cistern. They help ensure cleaner water is available for use, which protects rainwater pumps and internal household appliances such as clothes washing machines, toilets, hot water systems, etc.

Downspout First Flush Diverters, such as the 3″ and 4″ kits, are installed at each downspout that supplies water to the tank/cistern. They utilize a dependable ball and seat system – a simple automatic system that does not rely on mechanical parts or manual intervention. As the water level rises in the diverter chamber, the ball floats, and once the chamber is full, the ball rests on a seat inside the diverter chamber preventing any further water entering the diverter. The subsequent flow of water is then automatically directed along the pipe system to the tank/cistern.

 

Features and Benefits of First Flush Downspout Diverters

• Prevents sediment, bird droppings, spiders, insects, mosquito eggs and debris from entering the rainwater tank/cistern.
• Improves water quality, protects pumps and internal appliances.
• Easy installation, just add pipe and glue.
• No mechanical parts.
• Low maintenance requirements.

How do they work?

 

Fitting an appropriately sized First Flush Water Diverter is critical to achieve good quality water. Water Diverters improve water quality, reduce tank/cistern maintenance and protect pumps by preventing the first flush of water, which may contain contaminants from the roof, from entering the tank/cistern.

When it rains, water slowly builds up in the roof guttering system before it exits through the downspout. The first flush of water from the roof can contain amounts of bacteria from decomposed insects, skinks, bird and animal droppings and concentrated tannic acid. It may also contain sediments, water borne heavy metals and chemical residues, all of which are undesirable elements to have in a water storage system.

Instead of flowing to the water tank/cistern, these pollutants are diverted with the initial flow of water into the chamber of the water diverter. Our water diverters utilize a dependable ball and seat system – a simple automatic system that does not rely on mechanical parts or manual intervention.

As the water level rises in the diverter chamber, the ball floats, and once the chamber is full, the ball rests on a seat inside the diverter chamber preventing any further water entering the diverter. The subsequent flow of water is then automatically directed along the pipe system to the tank/cistern.

For a water diverter to work effectively, the contaminated water in the chamber must be sealed off. This prevents the water passing to the storage tank/cistern and ensure the water does not “syphon” off the contaminated water in the chamber. The simplest and surest way to do this is with a floating ball and seat.

A slow release valve ensures the chamber empties itself after rain and resets automatically. The diverted water need not be wasted water because the drain pipe from the diverter chamber can be fitted to a standard drip irrigation system.

How much water to divert?

 

It is important to prevent heavy sediments and other roof pollutants from entering the rainwater tank/cistern. The amount of water diverted should be a minimum of 12.5 gallons per 1000 square feet of roof area (or 0.0125 gallons per square foot). In calculating the amount of water to divert, consideration can be given to (1) the surface area of the roof, and (2) the amount of pollutants on the roof and gutters.

The following factors can be used as a guide in determining the volume of water to be diverted.

As a rule of thumb, the more water that is diverted the better the quality of water in the tank/cistern.

Installation Instructions

1.  Determine the length of Diverter Chamber #4. Consider as a guide
that each:
– 3 foot section of 3″ Schedule 40 PVC pipe holds approx. 1.5 gallons
of water.
– 3 foot section of 4″ Schedule 40 PVC pipe holds approx. 2 gallons of
water.
Fit the longest length of pipe possible, making sure the Screw Cap
#10 is at least 6″ from the ground to allow for removal and
cleaning.

2.  Place the ball Seat #9 into the Tee Junction #6 ensuring the narrow
end of the ball seat points down into the Diverter Chamber #4. Apply
glue to the Diverter Chamber #4 and fit up against the Ball Seat #9
and hold until the glue sets. (Optional: Use a 45º bend adaptor to
allow easier removal of the Screw Cap #10). Glue the Socket #14 to
the bottom end of the Diverter Chamber #4.

3.  Fix the assembled chamber directly to the wall in the desired position
using the Wall Brackets.

4.  Connect a Male & Female (M&F) Elbow #8b (if required) to the
Chamber Outlet #8 and connect the downspout #3. Fit an elbow to
the InFeed pipe #2 (if required) and connect to the bottom of the
selected rain head.

5.  Select the appropriate Flow Control Valve #11 and insert into the
Hose Connector #16, making sure the valve is inserted with the side
marked “TOP” still showing. Start by using the Control Washer with
the smallest gauge hole (lowest number). Try a larger gauge Washer
if experiencing blockages. Place the Filter Screen #13 into position
from the outside of the Screw Cap #10 and then attach the Hose
Connector #16.

6.  Place the Sealing Ball #5 into the Diverter Chamber #4 and attach the
assembled Screw Cap #10 to the Socket #14.

Article courtesy of Rain Harvesting. Rain Harvesting is a company based in Australia that manufactures many of the products that we carry, including the first flush diverters referenced in the article. 

A "Blue Roof" System for Managing Stormwater

Last winter, we at Rain Brothers, LLC designed, developed, and installed a simple, cost-effective "blue roof" system for managing stormwater for the City of Grove City here in Ohio. A "blue roof" is a new best management practice (or BMP) for stormwater -- specifically, it is a way to slow a rain event by creating localized absorption on the roof itself, as well as by creating filtration layers to restrict the flow of the rainwater through the gutter/drainage (and, yes, there are lots of structural analysis calculations that are involved in ensuring the roof can support a slowed rain event).

The more we can spread out a rain event, the less immediate pressure we put on a municipality's storm system. This, in turn, means that the direct discharge in our rivers and streams (storm sewers often discharge directly into our watershed) is slowed, which lessens the chance for erosion, river turbidity, silting, etc.

In isolation, the act seems small. Adapting these stormwater BMPs on a large scale, however, will have a dramatic impact in not only preserving our eco-system but also in maintaining high water quality in our watershed regions.

Here is a link to a recent article about our blue roof system.

Below are pictures (before and after) of the installation of the blue roof at the Grove City Municipal Building. 

In the News

Over our ten years in business, we have been fortunate enough to have made the news a few times. Below are some links to some of the news stories that have written about our company. 

The Metropreneur Columbus, "Rain Brothers Bringing Back a Bygone Conservation Method", March, 2011

US Green Building Council "Small Business Spotlight Interview," October, 2014

Columbus Business First, "Eartha, Rain Brothers: Natural office mates take steps to green up each biz," April, 2014

The Columbus Dispatch, "Reduce, reuse, recycle: Rain barrels do it all," April, 2011

Ohio University Journal, "Rain Brothers," June, 2010

Natural Awakenings, "Eartha and Rain," October, 2014

Columbus Messenger, "Perfect storm comes together for blue roof," Jan., 2016

Fresno Bee, "Well problems force Sierra residents to take conservation seriously," March, 2015

This Old House, "How to Build a Rain Barrel," 2014

The Columbus Dispatch, "New Mickey D's testament to green," November, 2011