Well, you need to think about, I think in two different approaches. The first one I would think about is, of course, on a global scale, what rainbow harvesting means globally is far different to what we may consider here in the UK. Globally, of course, where there isn’t really access to mains water. Rainwater is potentially the only access to water for certain individuals. So for them it’s their life source. It’s their most precious commodity that they can get hold of. Bringing it back to us here more locally. We’re very fortunate to have access to clean, fresh drinking water on the tap via mains water. And yeah, the need for rainwater is not quite so much because we are so lucky to have that. But we are, of course, coming into a period of time where urban developments and the industry of construction is growing so fast that all of the old systems that we have in place are coming very stretched in terms of the demand and how much we are utilising them. And we need to try and find other sources of water to help substitute from the excessive mains water that we use in our everyday lives for whatever it may be, for the different appliances and toilets, showers, you name it. We are very greedy. And it’s kind of scary to think that if you were to take a step back and go on a bit more of an adventurous holiday, like you go camping for a couple of weeks or you go out. I go touring across Europe and don’t have access to a tap or a shower where you can just flip a valve and hey presto, you’ve got water. So it kind of puts everything back into perspective out when you get home you think, “Oh my goodness, just having that accessibility is, I’m very fortunate to have that.” But yeah, with the ever-growing population, certainly here in the UK we’ve got a big growth in terms of cities and of course we’ve got lots of people coming into the country to take the opportunity of living in a very free environment that we have in the UK for free, in terms of lifestyle. So yeah, the demand on rainwater could be really looked at in terms of helping substitute towards the mains water appliances that we use it for. So as we’ve discussed on this channel multiple times before, rainwater can be used to really substitute quarter lofts of our main water consumption. And really rain water harvesting in terms of a purpose is trying, yeah, really supports where mains water is not requirements, use rainwater instead. So whether this be for irrigating your lawn, or using it back to top flush toilets, using in your washing machine to clean your clothes, there are quite a few applications in terms of just standard rainwater we can use it for. Rainwater harvesting has different meanings globally. In areas without access to mains water, rainwater is a vital resource. In the UK, where mains water is available, rainwater can be used to supplement our water consumption as urban development strains existing systems. Rainwater harvesting can substitute up to 25% of mains water usage, reducing demand and associated costs. It also helps with mitigating droughts, managing floods, and reducing carbon footprint. Water companies utilize significant energy to treat mains water, resulting in a large carbon footprint. Utilizing rainwater locally can make a substantial difference and contribute to environmental protection. Rainwater harvesting is a step towards sustainability. While government goals are set for the future, it is important to remember that local actions matter. Each individual’s choice to use rainwater instead of relying solely on mains water has an impact. Addressing the strain on existing water systems and protecting the environment is crucial. Rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment solutions can have a positive global impact and contribute to a more sustainable future. And, of course, you can treat rainwater locally on site to make it a better quality so you can use it for other applications as well. So rainwater is really probably the future unless we can get mains water more readily available to our homes to be used.
