InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Water Sustainability in Cities > Student Materials > Unit 6: Rainwater Harvesting
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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These student materials complement the Water Sustainability in Cities Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.

Unit 6: Rainwater Harvesting

Welcome to the unit covering urban rainwater harvesting. In this unit, you will be introduced to the concept of rainwater harvesting and complete activities to size a storage cistern to service a case study building.

Pre-class Activity

Activity 6.0 Pre-Class Assignment

Come prepared to class by completing the pre-class assignment:

  • See Pre-class assignment handout (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 22kB Jul4 16)
  • Read pages 1–9 of the Albuquerque Rainwater Harvesting Manual (Acrobat (PDF) 899kB Sep28 14)
  • View Rainwater Harvesting Video on YouTube, posted by PlumbingGuru.
  • Provide responses to the following:
    • Describe in five sentences or fewer the difference between simple and complex rainwater harvesting systems.
    • Explain why rainwater harvesting is or is not a more sustainable alternative to piped water supply. Provide two reasons.

In-class Activities

Activity 6.1 Cistern Sizing, Part 1: Total Demand Monthly Water Balance

In this activity, you will complete a monthly water balance for a case study building to determine an appropriate size of a rainwater storage cistern.

Activity 6.1 Cistern Sizing, Part 2: Indoor and Outdoor Water Demand Patterns

In this activity, you will complete monthly water balances for a case study building to investigate the effect of serving different demand patterns.

  • Review instructions in cistern sizing handout (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 23kB Jul4 16) (same file as above)
  • Complete task and be prepared to report
These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »