This is the motivation for the water supply system developed for our house. It is hardly new. This chapter is divided into five sections. Determining need describes how to estimate your household water needs. Cistern capacity describes what to consider in deciding how large a cistern to build or purchase.
Cistern structure reviews the types of cisterns commonly used.
Filtration and purification describes the kinds of filtration systems and purification methods that are available, and considerations for drinking water. And, finally, Emergency needs discusses requirements for fire protection. The first step in sizing a cistern for your home is estimating the total water consumption per day for your family. As should be true for every consumable in a responsible home, the first consideration is conservation. The average family of four consumes 6,300 gallons of water per month for indoor use.