A Guide to Rainwater Harvesting (T&M)

The A Guide to Rainwater Harvesting Timed and Monitored online PDH course is a part of the Civil Engineering category of courses. This course is Timed & Monitored (T&M) to satisfy the requirements of the state of Ohio.

This course introduces the basics of residential and small-scale commercial rainwater harvesting systems design. It is intended to serve as a first step in considering options for constructing a rainwater harvesting system or implementing a harvesting program.

Rainwater is valued for its purity and softness. It has a nearly neutral pH, and is free from disinfection by-products, salts, minerals, and other natural and man-made contaminants. Plants thrive under irrigation with stored rainwater. Appliances last longer when free from the corrosive or scale effects of hard water. Users with potable systems prefer the superior taste and cleansing properties of rainwater.

This course is intended for use by civil, environmental mechanical engineers, sustainability design and construction professionals and others interested in learning about the best management practices for rainwater harvesting.

Learning Objectives

• Learning about the basic rainwater system components including catchment surface, gutters, and downspouts, leaf screens, first-flush diverters, roof washers, storage tanks and pressure tanks and pumps
• Learning about water quality and potential treatments, and factors affecting water quality
• Learning about estimating water demand
• Understanding rainwater harvesting best management practices and building codes
• Learning about cistern design, construction and capacity
• Learning about backflow prevention systems, dual-use systems and required rainwater harvesting systems
• Learning about cost estimation and comparison
• Learning about financial and other incentives for fresh rainwater harvesting