It looks like a giant cheese grater, but this Aquatecture harvesting panel is an invention that could help Africa in drought.
This rain harvesting panel is the design of a South African who wanted to be able to help people in arid areas to ‘catch’ their own water.
The Aquatecture panel collects rainwater by diverting raindrops flowing over the perforations on the surface to the inside of the system. This water then makes its way down into a collection tank where it can either be stored for later use, or can be pumped back into a building’s greywater system.
This panel is currently being developed to also harvest moisture from the atmosphere as well.
South African born Designer
South African born Shaakira Jassat, who lives in the Netherlands now, witnessed the crippling drought in the Cape and South Africa, and attended the Cape Town Design Indaba as a speaker in 2018.
She wanted to design a compact rain harvester that was aesthetically suited to urban living, which inspired the Aquatecture panel.
“The drought was quite intense. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to go through. I was at the time getting toward graduation in the Netherlands and wanted to do something about it. So, I asked myself if there was no water coming out of my tap what would I do? How can I create something meaningful and change the situation that we are in?”
Water Inspiration
As she was looking out the window one afternoon, inspiration struck home …
“I thought if it’s raining outside and if I had something on my balcony to collect water, that would be so cool. I could use it to water my plants or use it to drink … To be able to wait for a drop of water brings me right back to the week I spent to almost day zero. In Cape Town. We almost never had it.”
The panels are made of aluminium and are therefore resistant to corrosion. They can be fitted on the exterior of buildings or allowed to be used as freestanding units in areas with more open space.
The V&A Waterfront will be among the first companies in South Africa to test a highly innovative new design in rainwater harvesting technology.
They will be tested at the Granger Bay parking garage over the next two years, and all water collected will be used at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market. This test facility will collect rainfall data specific to the area during the testing period and measured against weather variables, for example, the direction of rain, wind, and the amount of rain that fell during each period. The panels will also be tested for efficiency and impact on the surrounding environment.
If this proves successful, it could prove helpful in both domestic and commercial instances in arid or water dry areas.
If you are looking for water purifying or greywater solutions to ensure the quality of your harvested water, contact us on https://www.envirowater.co.za/contact-us/
Source: TheSouthAfrican, GoodThingsGuy