Consequently,
Water consumption: how recover use:
Rainwater collection –
Rainwater supplies the whole house. Consequently, except a tap
Dozens of liters of drinking water for toilet, shower and washing machine? However, Some owners refuse to do so. Therefore, Report in Enges (NE).
Michel Vesco in front of his house, in Enges (ne). However, The rainwater flowing from the roof is directed in a buried tank. Furthermore, which allows the different parts of the villa throughout the year.
Yvain Genevay
- The Vesco family uses rainwater for all domestic needs except direct consumption.
- An buried 7,500 liter tank collects rainwater to power the house.
- The absence of limestone in rainwater significantly improves daily comfort.
- Municipal water consumption is limited to 15 cubic meters per year.
“The left tap is rainwater,” explains Michel Vesco. For example, The one on the right is the water of the municipal network. Similarly, It is the one we drink and with which we wash the salad. Meanwhile, ” This is the only peculiarity that is obvious when visiting this Neuchâtel domiciled in Enges. For example, A double water supply in the kitchen sink.
Large bay windows offering a spectacular view of the lake of Neuchâtel. Meanwhile, pretty terrace, some sheep in the meadow: nothing a priori distinguishes this water consumption: how recover use family villa from other houses in this residential area. For example, The difference is hidden under the lawn of the garden. Moreover, A buried tank with a capacity of 7. Consequently, 500 liters allows collect rainwater which flows from the roof and thus feed the sanitary facilities, the bathrooms, the washing machine and the dishwasher. In addition, “In fact. Furthermore, all the water that we do not consume directly,” sums up Christian von Gnten, the specialist who set up this installation in 2013, during the construction site.
On the left, the rainwater tap. For example, On the right, that of drinking water, provided by the municipal network.
Yvain Genevay / Tamedia
Why this decision? Furthermore, It was a question. Nevertheless, tells us Michel Vesco, of a logical complement to the standard Minergie p Chosen for its villa: heat pump, photovoltaic solar panels, double -flow ventilation system, optimal insulation … Consequently, “A neighbor has already recovered rainwater for years. Nevertheless, It seemed relevant to us. Meanwhile, Using drinking water for the toilet makes no sense. Therefore, ”
Water consumption: how recover use
Skepticism in Bern
The official figures water consumption: how recover use established by the association for water. Similarly, gas and heat prove it right. Consequently, In Switzerland, domestic consumption of drinking water reaches 142 liters per inhabitant and per day. Moreover, More than half of this volume is used for toilet flush (28.9%), bath and shower (25.3%). However, “Tell that to people who. elsewhere in the world, make kilometers every day with a jug on their heads to get water. They will take you for a madman, ”sighs Christian von Gnten.
The necessary additional cost (7,500 francs twelve years ago) did not seem excessive to Michel Vesco. However. he is unacceptable in the eyes of many owners, who renounce for this reason to have a collector installed at home. Christian von Gunten: “It takes today between 10,000 and 15,000 francs to equip an individual house with a system offering sufficient capacity. water consumption: how recover use And a little more if we do it during a renovation. As network water does not cost much in most municipalities, many people say that it is not worth it. ”
To encourage the owners to take the plunge, municipalities offer subsidies for the purchase of a rainwater collector. This is the case since 2021 of Leytron, in Valais. With a modest success so far, since eight households have benefited so far. But all are delighted with their installation, welcomes Laila Cheseaux Baudat, the president of the town. It therefore plans to relaunch the call made to its citizens. “Our water comes from sources,” she says. Each year, we must take measures to restrict consumption, because of the turbidity of water due to thunderstorms. Recovering and using rainwater becomes more and more relevant. ”
In Bern. the Federal water consumption: how recover use Office of the Environment (OFEV) is more skeptical: “The rainy water collected is mainly used for watering gardens or agricultural irrigation, he tells us. Its use in households. for example for the toilet flush or the washing machine, is more complex on the technical level. Wherever the quality of drinking water is essential. the rainy water collected is not suitable or must be treated before use. ” The OFEV evokes an “expensive, reserved for exceptional cases, such as isolated huts without any other source of water”.
These two circular plates allow access to the 7,500 liter tank which allows rainwater to store. Christian Von Gnten. the entrepreneur who installed the installation twelve years ago, shows here one of the two filters of the system.
Yvain Genevay / Tamedia
With twenty-five years of experience in the company founded by his father. RVG Energies and advice, Christian von Gnten is of a completely different opinion. In the Jura Arc, he recalls, many localities located on the heights are not connected to the drinking water network. “We have recovered the rainwater for a long time, and we filter it to be able to consume it. Technically, this is not a problem. “
Water consumption: how recover use
Farewell to limestone
If Michel Vesco has not gone so far. he does not regret his investment for a second. Especially after having noticed over the years what constitutes. according to him, the main advantage of rainwater: the absence of limestone. “We notice it every day while showing off, wearing our clothes washed with this water,” says the fifties. For comfort, it’s incomparable. ” Ditto for the piping, protected from the damage caused by limestone.
Besides. the difference is soon to be felt when the tank is empty and the system automatically switches to network water. “After a day. two, you have the skin that scratches, the pants are more rough when leaving the washing machine. It is clearly no longer the same, ”observes Michel Vesco. This situation occurs a few times a year, “maybe water consumption: how recover use two months in total”. He continues: “We feel the effects of climate change, there is less precipitation. If it had to be redone, we would put a slightly larger tank. ”
This cylindrical filter must be regularly cleaned to ensure the proper functioning of the. distribution of water in the house.
Yvain Genevay / Tamedia
on consumption Municipal water is thus limited to around 15 cubic meters water consumption: how recover use per year. including for filling the pool installed in the garden. The family, on the other hand, pays for purification taxes on all wastewater, ten times more.
Two filters to clean
The maintenance required? Minimal, according to this convinced owner. In the garden, just lift two circular plates to access the two tank filters and clean them. “I do it from time to time,” says the Neuchâtel. One of these filters. in the shape of a basket, makes it possible to collect the dead leaves and other waste that arrives in the tank with the flow of the waters of the roof, then come out with the overflow protecting the lost well. Michel Vesco throws them into the compost tank, a few meters away, and voila.
Zero additive, not the slightest softening product. Once filtered, water consumption: how recover use rainwater is directly distributed, via a pump supplied with electricity, throughout the house. In the technical room. next to the sanitary water boiler, a case attached to the wall makes it possible to control the filling level of the buried tank and the proper functioning of the system.
In the technical room of the house. this device makes it possible to control the level of filling the tank and water consumption: how recover use the operation of the pump which ensures the distribution of water. “Non -potable”, specifies the green label at the top of the image.
Yvain Genevay / Tamedia
Using a valve. you can also manually operate the network’s water passage in the event of technical concern. “It almost never happens,” says Michel Vesco. Rainwater sometimes just smells of flower. ” When the tank is empty. it takes advantage of going down there by means of a scale to suck the fine particles, sand and pollens, then clean the walls and the dome.
Christian von Gnten adds by speaking of a very low risk of failure. “I sometimes have to replace a part with a customer, or adjust a small electronic bug.”
Back in the kitchen, Michel Vesco shows us small traces of limestone water consumption: how recover use under the drinking water tap. “This is the only place where you will see,” he smiles. In the distance, the blue waters of the Neuchâtel lake sparkle under the sun. No rain on the horizon, but in the basement, the tank gauge indicates 59%. Enough to be quiet, whatever happens, for several weeks.
Water consumption: how recover use
Overall consumption in decline
In Switzerland. around 80% of drinking water comes from groundwater, almost half of which are water from sources, notes the Federal Statistics Office (OFS). The rest is taken from lakes and rivers. Drinking water consumption has declined by 20% since 1990: it amounted to 925 million cubic meters in 2023. or 282 liters per day and per capita. In 1990, with a lower population than today, this average was at 468 liters per capita and per day.
These figures concern the water consumption of households and small crafts (55.4%), but also of industry and crafts (25.7%), public services, fountains, as well as losses linked to the state of the public network. On the other hand. specifies the OFS, they do not include the water of the catchments carried out directly by craftsmanship, industry and agriculture.
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