[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” custom_padding=”||0px|||”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Ithaca Creek State School in Brisbane, Australia, is one example of a rain harvesting system design that\u2019s fit-for-purpose. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The school wanted to create a garden so that students could learn about horticulture and the environment. The garden also needed to supply ingredients for the school\u2019s tuck shop (cafeteria).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The ingredients from the garden would allow students and teachers to enjoy food made with fresh vegetables and herbs that they had grown themselves.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ithaca Creek State School approached us for help with designing a rain harvesting system that would supply water to grow and maintain the garden.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”margin: auto;” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_main_element_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_css_main_element_tablet=”margin: initial;” custom_css_main_element_phone=”margin: initial;” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/rainharvesting.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/air-gap-90mm-1-1200×800-5b2df79.jpg” alt=”Maelstrom Masterclass Rain Harvesting by Blue Mountain Co” title_text=”air gap 90mm (1)-1200×800-5b2df79″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n To help the school meet their goals our specialists recommended a few key components for the rain harvesting system. The components were:<\/span><\/p>\n The school\u2019s rain harvesting system components were chosen for specific reasons. Here\u2019s how they all work together to deliver water that\u2019s fit-for-purpose.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Leaf Eater Plus Rain Head<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n Rain Heads keep leaves and fine debris out of rainwater tanks. Doing this helps to prevent contamination and tannin stains from plant matter.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our Rain Heads use a 955 micron stainless steel mesh screen to block incoming materials, but their aperture (hole size) is small enough for water to still pass through.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Maelstrom <\/u><\/span><\/p>\n The Maelstrom filter uses super-fine filtration to make sure cleaner water ends up in the rainwater tank. <\/span>It stops smaller pollutants from travelling through the system, which are usually things like sediment or dirt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Maelstrom also has a super-high water catchment, so when big downpours happen, the school won\u2019t miss out on collecting precious rainwater.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Maelstrom is a great part of any rain harvesting system, and works closely with the other components to keep mosquitos and pests out.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mozzie Stoppa Easy-Clean <\/u><\/span><\/p>\n Mozzie Stoppas connect to rainwater tank overflow outlets. They help the tank to \u201cbreathe\u201d by letting oxygen in to keep the water inside at a high quality.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They use a 955 micron mesh screen to keep mosquitoes and other small insects out of the tank.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This means the tank can keep the water clean and fit-for-purpose, while also stopping contamination from mosquitoes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Vent Cowls <\/u><\/span><\/p>\n Vent Cowls, like Mozzie Stoppas, help to improve the quality of stored water. They let more oxygen reach the water in the tank, while stopping mosquitoes from entering.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They use a 955 micron stainless steel mesh screen to stop pests, while preventing stagnation from degrading water.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Air Gap <\/u><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Air Gaps sit between the rainwater tank and stormwater pipework. They help prevent backflow to stop contamination of the water in your tank. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They\u2019re also an effective way to manage pests and vermin from entering the tank, thanks to their 955 micron mesh screen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First Flush with and Electronic Release Valve<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n First Flush Diverters are one of the most important components of any rain harvesting system. They capture and store dirty water from your roof or collection area so that it doesn\u2019t reach the clean water in your rainwater tank.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We recommended that Ithaca Creek State School use a First Flush with an Electronic Release Valve on their system to keep pollutants from the roof away from the rainwater in the storage tank.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Electronic Release Valve helps to make maintenance easier.<\/p>\n <\/span>Tank Gauge<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n The final piece of the school\u2019s rain harvesting system was the Tank Gauge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This device sits on top of the tank and measures where water levels are at and how much is being used. It\u2019s a great device to help keep track of water use and to plan for the future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”margin: auto;” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_main_element_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_css_main_element_tablet=”margin: initial;” custom_css_main_element_phone=”margin: initial;” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/rainharvesting.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/system-installed-ithaca-02-high-res-800×1200-cb6eae5.jpg” alt=”Maelstrom Masterclass Rain Harvesting by Blue Mountain Co” title_text=”system – installed – ithaca – 02 – high res-800×1200-cb6eae5″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/rainharvesting.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/system-installed-ithaca-01-high-res-800×1200-788f12b.png” alt=”Maelstrom Masterclass Rain Harvesting by Blue Mountain Co” title_text=”system – installed – ithaca – 01 – high res-800×1200-788f12b” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/rainharvesting.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/system-installed-ithaca-03-high-res-800×1200-788f12b.png” alt=”Maelstrom Masterclass Rain Harvesting by Blue Mountain Co” title_text=”system – installed – ithaca – 03 – high res-800×1200-788f12b” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Learn how Ithaca Creek State School is using Rain Harvesting to grow fresh vegetables.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11421,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"What is Lorem Ipsum?\r\nLorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false},"case_study_category":[147],"class_list":["post-10926","case_study","type-case_study","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","case_study_category-australia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFinding water balance to grow a veggie garden<\/h2>\n
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