Rainwater Harvesting In The Caribbean
Aquifer Underground bed or layer yielding ground water for wells and springs
Catchment The component of a RWH system from which rainwater is collected (especially a natural drainage area). Typical catchment surfaces include building rooftops, roads and pavements.
Chlorine residual The amount of chlorine that remains in water at the end of a period of time following chlorination
Cistern A receptacle for holding water typically integrated as a structural part of a building
Conveyance system The component of the RWH systems that includes the gutters and pipes that carry the water from the catchment to the storage tank. The filter screens and first-flush diverters are also included in this component
Desalination The removal of salt from sea water to convert to potable water
Disinfection Treatment process to destroy harmful microorganisms
Down-pipe The pipe that carries water from the gutter down to the storage
First-flush diverter An installation typically on the downpipe (from the roof gutter) that diverts the initial 'dirty' wash off the roof when it starts to rain from entering the tank
Groundwater Water beneath the surface of the earth which saturates the pores and fractures of sand, gravel, and rock formations
Gutter A channel installed along the edge of a catchment surface that carries collected rainwater toward the storage
Municipal Of or relating to a town or city or its local government
Potable Fit to drink
Rational Method A calculation procedure to estimate the amount of rain that can be captured off a roof surface per year
Runoff Excess water that runs over a surface
Runoff coefficient The amount of water that drains from the surface relative to the amount the falls on the surface as rain
Surface water Water collecting on the ground, in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean
Vector An organism, such as a mosquito that carries disease-causing microorganisms from one host to another.
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