Journal article
A rainwater harvesting system reliability model based on nonparametric stochastic rainfall generator
Journal of hydrology (Amsterdam), v 392(3), pp 105-118
2010
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The reliability with which harvested rainwater can be used as a means of flushing toilets, irrigating gardens, and topping off air-conditioner serving multifamily residential buildings in New York City is assessed using a new rainwater harvesting (RWH) system reliability model. Although demonstrated with a specific case study, the model is portable because it is based on a nonparametric rainfall generation procedure utilizing a bootstrapped markov chain. Precipitation occurrence is simulated using transition probabilities derived for each day of the year based on the historical probability of wet and dry day state changes. Precipitation amounts are selected from a matrix of historical values within a moving 15
day window that is centered on the target day. RWH system reliability is determined for user-specified catchment area and tank volume ranges using precipitation ensembles generated using the described stochastic procedure. The reliability with which NYC backyard gardens can be irrigated and air conditioning units supplied with water harvested from local roofs exceeds 80% and 90%, respectively, for the entire range of catchment areas and tank volumes considered in the analysis. For RWH systems installed on the most commonly occurring rooftop catchment areas found in NYC (51–75
m
2), toilet flushing demand can be met with 7–40% reliability, with lower end of the range representing buildings with high flow toilets and no storage elements, and the upper end representing buildings that feature low flow fixtures and storage tanks of up to 5
m
3. When the reliability curves developed are used to size RWH systems to flush the low flow toilets of all multifamily buildings found a typical residential neighborhood in the Bronx, rooftop runoff inputs to the sewer system are reduced by approximately 28% over an average rainfall year, and potable water demand is reduced by approximately 53%.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- A rainwater harvesting system reliability model based on nonparametric stochastic rainfall generator
- Creators
- Matt Basinger - Columbia UniversityFranco Montalto - Drexel UniversityUpmanu Lall - Columbia University
- Publication Details
- Journal of hydrology (Amsterdam), v 392(3), pp 105-118
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000283903100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-77957016763
- Other Identifier
- 991019168520004721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Civil
- Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
- Water Resources