Nomogram-Based Rainwater Harvesting Design for a Sustainable Residential Water Supply

Roberto Magini (), Maria Valenti Ben Moussa and Davide Luciano De Luca
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Roberto Magini: Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
Maria Valenti Ben Moussa: Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
Davide Luciano De Luca: Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-22

Abstract: Water scarcity is a critical issue exacerbated by climate change, urbanization, and population growth, particularly in regions with insufficient water infrastructure. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems offer a sustainable solution to mitigate water shortages by collecting and storing rainwater for non-potable uses. This study focuses on the design, efficiency, and reliability of RWH systems in residential environments, with an emphasis on optimizing the sizing of storage volumes and collection areas. Using a behavioural simulation model, we generate nomograms that facilitate the design of RWH systems by analyzing the interactions among storage capacity, collection area, rainfall patterns, and water demand. Specifically, this paper evaluates the effectiveness of RWH systems through efficiency and reliability metrics such as water savings, mains reliance, overflow discharge, and system reliability. The proposed procedure integrates stochastic rainfall and water demand data, including a detailed analysis of toilet usage, in order to simulate the performance of RWH systems across different time scales. Case studies in Italy and Denmark are used to assess the influence of climatic differences on system performance. The findings provide a comprehensive methodology for RWH system design, and offer valuable insights into improving a sustainable water management strategy.

Keywords: rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems; Yield After Spillage (YAS); stochastic modelling; performance-based design; nomogram-based methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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