Tofino Rain Water Collection, Tofino Event Workshop, Rain Water Harvest, Rain Water Collection System Setup, Tofino, BC

In May of 2007, Bob Burgess of Rainwater Connection conducted a Rainwater Collection Installation workshop at the home of GoTofino.com. The photo essay below shows the steps taken during the workshop to install a 1250 gallon system. Participants included residents of the house, Jeff and Jayun, local Tofino residents, and a Pacific Rim National Park representative. All participants gained valuable knowledge and are keen to share this knowledge and utilize it in their own homes and businesses.

Can we make reduction of water demand our goal in Tofino instead of more supply?
Our system is an example of Bob and Jeff's well thought-out plan for our situation - water for a green house, for a camping platform by the ocean and for surfboard and kayak rinsing. The setup was not difficult and we greatly benefited from Bob's experience and knowledge in creating a technically simple operation that results in a clean supply of rainwater. Other more basic systems such as a rain barrel may be perfect for a smaller home or townhouse. We would like to see Tofino become a community leader and set an example of real vision. One sure means to this goal is to make the rainwater connection.

Bob Burgess of Rainwater Collection
Bob may be found at www.rainwatercollection.com or by calling 250.246.2155. Bob is an expert who will help you create the best system for your needs.

Visit the Tofino Rainwater Collection Demonstration Project
If you would like to view our rainwater collection system and learn more about it please call the GoTofino office at 250.725.3696.

More information about rainwater collection follows the photos.

Rainwater Connection arrives.	Bob Burgess, Rainwater visionary.
Bob briefs the group with info and today's plan.	Jeff shows the group the water collection point.
Bob holds a temporary filter by the gutter.	Bob measures for placement of the sediment filter.
Bob holds a temporary filter by the gutter.	The gutter is removed, Dawn cuts it to fit into the filter.
Cutting a hole in the deck for the new piping.	The larger filter and new piping is added to the gutter.
Two types of filters.	The larger filter and new piping is added to the gutter.
The water flows from the steel roof into the gutters. One down gutter is selected to be the collection point. That gutter is cut and placed into a sediment filter which catches leaves, needles and bigger sediment. It has a steel wool like filter that can be removed and cleaned as required. The gutter is placed into this filter and a pipe comes out of the filter and runs down through the deck floor.
Under the deck the tank waits to be placed.	Bob makes last minute levelling adjustments.
The 1,000 gallon tank is pushed into place.	Bob shows the overflow area.
Discussing piping.	Checking the pipes and joints.
Measuring the horizontal pipe length.	Adding adhesive to the pipe joint.
Discussing the pipe joints.	The first flush diverter down pipe installed.
The pipe carrying the rainwater from the gutter and the first sediment filter goes through the deck floor and then joins a pipe that goes 90° left and slightly uphill. By making the water in this pipe flow slightly uphill it allows this pipe to act as another filter. Clean-outs at each end of the pipe allow for it to be opened and for the sediment collected to be brushed out.
Cutting the overflow and inflow holes.	The overflow pipe is added.
Getting the joints ready for the inflow pipe.	Looking over filters.
The horizontal filter pipe, first diverter and inflow pipe.	The first flush diverter pipe is installed.
Close up of the joint of the inflow pipe.	The first flush diverter pipe is installed.
After traveling a bit uphill in the horizontal pipe the water flows straight down the first flush diverter pipe. this allows for the filtering of water containing dirt, pollen and bird droppings. The size of the pipe is dependent on the size of the roof area. The water flows down and collects in this first flush diverter pipe until it fills up. Once it is full then the water begins to flow toward the rainwater collection tank. The first flush diverter pipe has a clean-out at the bottom of it that can be removed. This clean-out also has a small hole in it so that after the rain has stopped the pipe will drain by itself so you do not have to open it manually to drain it.
We opted for 2 inline filters: a coarse and a fine mesh.	Overflow pipe.
Ball valves on water outlet spout: clean rainwater!	Overflow pipe.
In order to have very clean water in our rainwater collection tank we opted to have 2 filters on the pipe that runs directly into the tank. After the first flush diverter has filled and water begins to flow into the tank it runs through a coarse filter and a fine mesh filter. An overflow pipe, just in case and the outlet spout were the last additions. The overflow pipe and the spout have screens to prevent insects from entering the tank.
Bob and Jeff by the finished system.	Thank you to Bob Burgess of Rainwater Connection.