Maximizing catchment systems with safe roofing solutions

By Progressive Materials.

Learn how rainwater harvesting can provide safe, usable water with the right roof coatings.

Rainwater harvesting is a sustainable and efficient way to collect and store water for a variety of uses, from irrigation to drinking water. However, the quality of the water depends on the materials used in the catchment system – especially the roof. A well-designed system can provide a reliable water source, while a faulty one can introduce harmful contaminants. With industry-leading roof coatings certified for rainwater collection, Progressive Materials (PM) ensures that harvested rainwater remains safe and usable for multiple applications.

What’s a catchment system?

A catchment, or harvesting, system is simply technology that collects and stores rainwater for human use. Rainwater catchment systems range from rain barrels to more elaborate structures with pumps, tanks and purification systems. The simplest rainwater catchment systems are non-pressurized systems. These include rain barrels, where the rain flows from the roof into gutters and then into a tank.

PM Director of Technical Services Jay Mitchell notes that “areas such as the Caribbean and tropical islands use rainwater catchment systems for multiple things.” Rainwater harvesting provides an important water source in areas, for example, where the existing water quality could be compromised.

The home-improvement site Wise notes that for every inch of rain across 1,000 square feet of roofing, an attached water collection system will harvest about 600 gallons of water. As you can see, rainwater collection has a major upside when considering the vast amounts of water it can produce – as long as that water is usable.

Potential dangers

The potential dangers of using water from faulty catchment components or systems are numerous. Chemicals leaching into the water or actual parts of the roof coming off into the water pose dangers. If you are going to use rainwater collected off your roof for human consumption, it is important to first confirm it is safe for human use.

What about PM?

Progressive Materials holds federal certifications that ensure water flowing off a PM-coated roof as part of a rainwater catchment system can be used for drinking water. The foundation of this program is the National Science Foundation (NSF) P151, a protocol created by a team of NSF scientists and water quality experts.

PM roof coatings with the NSF P151 certification includes:

• Pro Eco Sil HS 3200 – HB Series
• Pro Eco Sil HS 3200 Series
• Pro Poly Sil LS 2200 Series

Even if you don’t need rainwater for human consumption, the certification ensures these PM coatings are safe for refilling fountains and fishponds, hand watering your garden plants, washing your pets, etc.

Conclusion

Rainwater harvesting is a sustainable water management practice that can be implemented on many different levels. For communities that rely on imported water to supply their needs, collecting rainwater that falls naturally in the community can reduce the need for imported water.

Original article and image source: Progressive Materials