May 5, 2015
The Oohla Bean Bed & Breakfast was selected as one of the winners of the Texas Water Development Board Rain Catcher Award for 2014. IWS designed and installed the rainwater harvesting system for this project.
Designed to supply all the potable water needs of guests, this system collects rainwater from over 11,000 square feet of roof into a 65,000 gallon corrugated metal tank. HA Architecture designed the facilities in a unique Hill Country-modern style. The roof structures on the individual suites and buildings are constructed in a butterfly style so that rainwater collects in a center gutter before being routed to the edge of the buildings. From there, the rainwater drains into several architecturally decorative columns that are connected to the rainwater collection piping system.
Innovative Water Solutions was responsible for the installation of all system components including over 1,000 feet of piping, a first‐flush diversion system, a floating filter inside the tank, and a 3 horsepower pump system along with a filtration and disinfection system. Harvesting rainwater instead of using the on-site well did not really save the owner any money upfront, but preserving the groundwater resources in the Texas Hill Country was a pre-construction priority.
We worked closed with HA Architecture in the design of the rainwater harvesting system in order to integrate it into the property to ensure a look and feel of the property. We worked with Foursquare Builders for the installation of the system.
About the Rain Catcher Awards
The Texas Rain Catcher Award is a rainwater harvesting competition and recognition program established October 1, 2007, by the Texas Water Development Board to promote technology, educate the public, and to recognize excellence in the application of rainwater harvesting systems in Texas.
