Rainwater Reuse and Valuation Investigation

Rainfall runoff in urban areas contributes to localized flooding and washes contaminants and excess nutrients downstream affecting water quality. Systems to mitigate these problems can be challenging to implement in urban areas due to existing infrastructure and competing demands for land use. However, one option is to find alternative applications for the excess rainwater and use it replace the potable water that is currently being used for certain purposes. Researchers at the University of Minnesota are using this appropriation to evaluate alternative uses for captured rainwater. In particular the project will design and install a rainwater reuse system for integration into evaporative chiller systems, which are common in large buildings and currently account for a significant portion of summer water usage at these sites, and examine other potential reuses for rainwater, such as for toilet flushing and industrial processes.