A rainwater harvesting system has been installed at the Big Meadow Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) site in the Gower, Swansea, to collect water from its polytunnels for use in crop irrigation.
The installation uses Wavin Osma SquareLine guttering, adapted to fit between the structural tubes of the polytunnels. Two sections of gutter have been nested together and riveted, creating a composite section with sufficient strength to span the gaps between the tubes.
Rainwater collected by the guttering is directed into large storage tanks or a reservoir. It can then be used to irrigate crops when required, reducing the site’s reliance on mains water.
Big Meadow supplies weekly vegetable boxes to local households from its organic growing operation. The rainwater system forms part of the site’s approach to managing its water requirements, particularly during periods of dry weather.
The project was developed with support from Travis Perkins and Wavin, with Wavin supplying the Osma SquareLine components. The installation uses a standard above-ground drainage product in a configuration adapted specifically to the polytunnel structures and the site’s rainwater collection requirements.
