Rainwater Harvesting Made Easy

By adopting sustainable approaches to managing rainwater, we have the potential to conserve millions of cubic meters of water annually. As the demand for water in the EU keeps growing, rainwater reuse has emerged as a sustainable solution to address water scarcity and promote more efficient water management practices. Pipelife stormwater management systems are rapidly growing in popularity in Poland. The fully modular, easy-to-install Stormbox retention crates offer a simple and efficient rainwater harvesting solution that's accessible to everyone.

_{Tackling Water Scarcity Challenges}

Over the last decade, water scarcity in Europe has been increasing, and by now affects roughly one-third of the continent. The concerning trend is further exacerbated by the effects of climate change, which have intensified drought events and heat waves. 

While water stress issues are often wrongly associated solely with Europe's southernmost regions, a steady annual decline in groundwater reserves has been observed throughout the continent. Additional efforts to ensure sustainable water use, such as collecting rainwater, are crucial to alleviate the pressure on Europe's water resources.

_{Closing the Gap to Sustainable Water Management}

One of the countries where the interest in rainwater reuse is on the rise is Poland. In the last years, several districts in the country have been affected by water deficit, which might reach 30% already by 2050. 

Rainwater harvesting systems allow for easy capture and storage of rainwater, which then can be used for various non-potable purposes like irrigation, washing or flushing toilets. Thus, the dependency and strain on traditional water sources, such as rivers and groundwater, is reduced. 

As Karol Marzejon, Product Team Manager at Pipelife Poland, admits, the awareness of the positive impacts of stormwater reuse is growing every year. The customers vary from large real-estate developers to homeowners, and their main expectations are fast, straightforward installation as well as simple inspection and maintenance. Lately, the interest has also been growing in deep-installed rainwater harvesting systems that allow for building larger capacity underground reservoirs.

_{Rainwater Harvesting for Projects of Every Size}

Pipelife's Stormbox systems are widely used for stormwater attenuation and infiltration. However, Stormbox's modular and flexible design also allows using these crates for designing underground rainwater harvesting systems of various sizes and scopes. 

The main advantages of Stormbox retention crates are their high capacity, simple installation and easy cleaning, whether performed horizontally or vertically. Furthermore, Pipelife Poland also offers design services tailoring each rainwater harvesting solution to clients' preferences and needs.

The collected rainwater can be gradually infiltrated into the immediate area, or the system can be equipped with a supply line to divert the harvested water where it's needed most.

_{Stormbox System in Action}

One Stormbox rainwater harvesting system is at work at Pipelife Poland's plant in Kartoszyno where two tanks from Stormbox II crates were installed last autumn to supply the surrounding green areas. Stormbox II crates were selected because of their strength and open design for easy inspection, as well as their excellent water capacity of 413 dm3.

The rainwater is collected from the office building's roof and then directed through gutters and downpipes to a DN 400 chamber. At this stage, any mechanical impurities are separated before the water reaches Stormbox II crates. Pipelife's PVC pipes and fittings connect the gutters to the chamber and infiltration crates, completing the system. 

Karol Marzejon explains that such a solution hardly requires any maintenance. The Stormbox II crates were installed right next to the green areas at Pipelife Poland's office building, and as the collected rainwater gradually infiltrates back into the ground, it sustains the surrounding plants and trees during the drier periods. 

"Our goal with these systems is to create as many opportunities for restoring natural water cycle as possible, especially in urban areas," Marzejon emphasizes. "Rainwater harvesting offers a way to easily collect rainwater from sealed surfaces and allow it to return to its natural circulation."