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]]>Unlike anywhere else, Bermudians hold most, if not all the power in their hands, which means that regular cleaning, disinfecting, trimming trees and other shrubbery play a ginormous part in maintaining a quality of water that would fall from the heavens. In recent years, there has been a decline in effort from residents to maintain this standard.
“Although there is a law put in place to clean the tanks, there is no enforcement to ensure that people are actually doing it”, says Jonathan Starling, Executive Director of Greenrock. “We are losing our water conservation best practices and more people need to make investments in water structures at the resident level”.
The Bermuda College course is designed to enhance the knowledge of water specialists and those working in the field, and aims to raise awareness and understanding of the different facets of water quality control and how they interplay among a broad spectrum of private, government and other sectors. Participants invested in water met at Bermuda College earlier this week to discuss myths and facts concerning Bermuda water quality as it pertains to public health.
For $425, businesses and individuals were able to learn about and discuss topics such as water contamination prevention; building practices/codes relating to roof design and rainwater harvesting; water quality measurement; drinking water treatment processes and procedures; introduction to international water quality standards; best practices in integrated water management; and introductory concepts of applied science (as pertaining to the maintenance of Bermuda´s unique water infrastructures).
“People should be cleaning their tanks every two years”. Starling also suggests that Bermuda should look at reducing the feral bird population. “Birds are defecating on the roofs and that slowly makes its way into the tank”. Cleaning water tanks and roofs regularly is a start.
The task can seem daunting, but empowerment starts with knowing your tank and how to take care of it. Firstly, know that you should be checking your tank once a month to make sure that waste there are no unpleasant smells, growths or dirt.
How do I clean my tank?
Before cleaning, block the drain pipes so that nothing enters the tanks. Screen any vents or overflows to your tank with fine mesh wire to prevent insects from entering.
How often should I clean my water tank?
By law water tanks must be cleaned every six years to remove any accumulation of sludge, however, cleaning every two years is a preventative practice that should become a habit. If the smell of your water is unpleasant, it’s time to get down there and scrub. Dirt and decayed organic matter contained in the sludge can promote stagnation of the water and come out with foul smells.
How often should I disinfect my water tank?
Every 3 months, disinfect the tank supply using 2 – 4 ounces of regular unscented bleach for every 1000 gallons of water. To determine your tank’s capacity, in gallons, multiply the tank length x tank width x tank depth x 6.25.
How do I aerate my water?
Aerate the water if there has been very little turnover or it has a bad smell. You can do this by running your garden hose to the top of the roof and allowing the water to drain back into the tank. This procedure may require at least a few hours to complete for ample turnover. The water must first be chlorinated before starting the aeration process for maximum effectiveness on stagnant water.
Tip: When purchasing water, it’s important to only buy enough to fill your tank to the halfway point. This will leave enough space for rainwater collection and avoid overflowing.
What about my roof?
Keep the roof clean and painted. You can rent eco-friendly power-washers from Bermuda Cleaning Ltd or any other rental shop. Eco-friendly products and hot water are key to disinfecting surfaces and eliminating stains with no adverse environmental effects. Before cleaning or painting your roof, make sure to block all drain pipes so that nothing enters the tank.
How do I clean my roof?
To clean the roof, power wash or use a wire brush to remove old paint and fungal growth. Before applying paint, wash the roof with a 50/50 solution of regular unscented household bleach and water and then apply an approved roof catchment paint. Do not remove the drain plugs until the paint has dried and until after the first rain shower. Trim any overhanging trees to prevent leaves from entering your tank. Use wire “pineapples” on gutter pipes to block the entry of leaves. They will require periodic cleaning to remove clogged debris.
Bermuda, unlike many places around the world, requires some special attention to maintain its reputation for water conservation – one of the many things for which Bermudians can be proud. Institutions such as Bermuda College and Greenrock are sharing their knowledge to contribute to the conversation on sustainability. If you missed the first workshop, according to their Facebook page, the Bermuda College plans to run a second course in the Fall. For more information call 236-9000 or email [email protected].
This article was originally published in the June Edition of the RG Green Pages supplement.
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]]>Since the settlers came to Bermuda, the rainwater catchment system has been in place. First-flush diverter devices (that remove the unwanted matter getting into the tank) can be seen since Ancient times around the world. Rainwater collected while using a first-flush system enhances the quality of drinking water and considerably reduces water borne diseases.
A first-flush diverter is a simple contraption that diverts the first flow of water away from a rainwater catchment system. The first pass of water in any storm essentially washes your roof of all the sediments that have collected since the last rain. The idea is that diverting the first flush can help ensure cleaner water in the tank. Water diverters improve water quality, reduce tank maintenance and protect pumps by preventing the first flush of water, which may contain contaminants from the roof, from entering the tank.
These systems also protect rainwater pumps and internal household appliances such as clothes washing machines, toilets and hot water systems.
Many experts criticize the extra attention that it takes for these systems to run smoothly, but some devices use 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.
Features and Benefits
How do they work?
When it rains, water slowly builds up in the roof guttering system before it exits through the downpipe. The first flush of water from the roof can contain amounts of bacteria from decomposed insects, bird and animal droppings. 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, these pollutants are diverted with the initial flow of water into the chamber of the water diverter.
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 and ensure the water does not carry 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.
For those in Bermuda that use the rain catchment system (and that’s just about everybody) these are the types of ideas that we should continue to keep in the conversation of sustainability and general public health. To chat with Greenrock about other good ideas or learn more about the issues that are affecting our island environmentally, contact them at [email protected].
This article was originally published in the June Edition of the RG Green Pages supplement.
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]]>Rain falling on roofs
Water from the Bermuda roofs provides between 50-70 percent of our freshwater. By law, Bermuda houses have to be built with a white-stepped roof and the underground tank that we know so well. The white color reflects ultra-violet light, which helps to purify the water as it’s being collected.
For this system to work, though, 80 percent of the roof needs to have adequate guttering and the storage tanks must have a capacity of at least 100 gallons for every 10 feet of roof space. Voila, freshwater. Keeping the tanks clean is another issue that is an important responsibility of the owners.
Ground water or “brackish water”
From water located in the pore space of soil and rock “Borehole well”. Recently, exploration under the island discovered a series of freshwater “lenses” or aquifers under the surface where ground water accumulates. These are layers of fresh groundwater that sit on top of heavier salt water.
Around three-quarters of a billion – or 750,000,000 – liters of water end up in the lenses as refurbishment water every year. Over 3,000 households on the island have private wells that tap into these lenses to provide additional water. It can be brackish, so the water isn’t potable (meaning you can’t drink it). It’s used mainly for flushing toilets and watering gardens. It can, however, be treated using Reverse Osmosis Systems, Media Water Filters, Chemical Dosing, UV Sterilizers.
Reverse Osmosis or desalination
Water from the ocean is treated using Sea Water Reverse Osmosis Systems, whichis a process where you demineralize or deionize water by pushing it under pressure through a semi-permeable Reverse Osmosis Membrane.
Bermuda has six plants that generate around 13,500 cubic meters of water per day, or 200 million gallons a year. Both hotels and golf courses use large amounts of water and Bermuda has more golf courses per capita than any other country.
Both hotels and golf courses use large amounts of water and Bermuda has more golf courses per capita than any other country.
Many of the large hotels use water produced by the reverse osmosis plants so that their guests can enjoy an abundance of fresh water – you can imagine that a hotel would be a big water user. Just think of all those towels. Sometimes this desalinated water is used primarily for laundry and showers – then it’s collected, treated and use again for irrigation.
One government storage tank in Devonshire Parish alone holds three million gallons of reserve water produced through desalination. There are pipes from the tank that lead to key parts of the island; including Hamilton, Shelly Bay, some Prospect housing and King Edward Memorial Hospital.
Other storage facilities supply military properties in St. George’s, Ordinance Island, the Somerset and Hamilton Parish quarries, and other key buildings and facilities.
Government water supply
During dry spells, the Water and Sewage Section of Public Works manages and provides water and sewerage services throughout Bermuda. The current government water supply system produces approximately 200 million gallons of water each year. Fortunately, as a last resort, truckloads of fresh water can replenish tanks.
For 400 years, the island has put innovative practices in place that can be mimicked by countries all over the world. Bermuda has a unique opportunity to place itself to the world as a leader in water conservation. Looking at our practices, our culture to conserve could be the way of the future. What can we do with that power?
This article was originally published in the June Edition of the RG Green Pages supplement.
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