Rain water

In principle rain water is a sound source for drinking water. Problems become if the rain water is polluted. The main reasons of rain water pollution are:

Emissions

• Emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the air which are removed from clouds and delivered to earth by rain or snow. The sources for such emissions are:
  • Industrial emissions
  • Emissions produced by vulcanos
  • Emissions from acid deposits like ice when it is melting

The effect is also known as acid rain because the pH-value is lower than 7 (<7=acid, 7=neutral, >7=basic/alkaline).

Pollution after harvesting

• Pollution of the rain water between harvesting and drinking. It sounds simple, but the greatest danger of the pollution of rain water is by transporting, storing and using it.

For these reasons it is necessary

• don't store rain water in open pots
• don't use Rain water for drinking which is older then two days
• to clean your Rain water harvesting pots regularly
• if you cannot guarantee the sound biological quality of the water, treat it for example by using Solar water disinfection