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Centralized or Decentralized Rainwater Harvesting Systems: A Case Study

Author

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  • Daniel Słyś

    (Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland)

  • Agnieszka Stec

    (Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland)

Abstract

World population growth, climate changes, urbanization, and industrialization have all had a negative impact on natural resources, including water resources. Excessive exploitation and pollution have caused more and more regions to have problems with access to fresh water. Rainwater is perceived as a valuable alternative source of water that is most often used in a hybrid system supplementing tap water. Considering the possibilities of designing a rainwater harvesting system as a decentralized or central system, this research was undertaken to determine the hydraulic and financial efficiency of these two systems. The research was carried out for a single-family housing estate located in Poland. For this research, a simulation model was applied to determine the efficiency of water saving and the life cycle cost indicator. In variants where rainwater was only used to flush toilets, the water saving efficiency was 80% and 79% for the decentralized and centralized rainwater harvesting system (RWHS), respectively. The use of rainwater for toilet flushing and watering the garden resulted in a significant reduction in efficiency to 57% (the decentralized system) and 54% (the centralized system). On the other hand, the results of the life cycle cost (LCC) analysis showed that in spite of reducing tap water consumption, both the centralized and the decentralized rainwater harvesting system were not financially viable solutions for the housing estate, and only cofinancing investments at the level of 25% to 50% resulted in a significant improvement in financial efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Słyś & Agnieszka Stec, 2020. "Centralized or Decentralized Rainwater Harvesting Systems: A Case Study," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:9:y:2020:i:1:p:5-:d:307896
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kamil Pochwat, 2022. "Assessment of Rainwater Retention Efficiency in Urban Drainage Systems—Model Studies," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-23, January.
    2. Anna Lempart-Rapacewicz & Julia Zakharova & Edyta Kudlek, 2023. "Rainwater Quality Analysis for Its Potential Recovery: A Case Study on Its Usage for Swimming Pools in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Edyta Dudkiewicz & Agnieszka Ludwińska, 2023. "Family Dwelling House Localization in Poland as a Factor Influencing the Economic Effect of Rainwater Harvesting System with Underground Tank," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, July.
    4. Agnieszka Stec & Daniel Słyś, 2022. "Financial and Social Factors Influencing the Use of Unconventional Water Systems in Single-Family Houses in Eight European Countries," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-25, January.
    5. Sabina Kordana-Obuch & Mariusz Starzec, 2020. "Statistical Approach to the Problem of Selecting the Most Appropriate Model for Managing Stormwater in Newly Designed Multi-Family Housing Estates," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-20, September.
    6. Sabina Kordana-Obuch & Mariusz Starzec & Beata Piotrowska, 2024. "Harnessing Artificial Neural Networks for Financial Analysis of Investments in a Shower Heat Exchanger," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-24, July.
    7. Mariusz Starzec & Józef Dziopak & Daniel Słyś, 2020. "An Analysis of Stormwater Management Variants in Urban Catchments," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-17, February.
    8. Mariusz Starzec & Józef Dziopak, 2020. "A Case Study of the Retention Efficiency of a Traditional and Innovative Drainage System," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-19, September.
    9. Krzysztof Boryczko & Janusz Rak, 2020. "Method for Assessment of Water Supply Diversification," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-15, July.

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