The First Big Rain After a Dry Spell: Getting Your System Ready

Central Texas rain tends to come in bursts. We go weeks without a drop, then get two inches in an afternoon. For a rainwater system, that first storm is the dirtiest water it sees all year. Everything that settled on the roof during the dry stretch, from dust and pollen to leaf litter and bird droppings, comes off in the first few minutes of runoff.

Your system is built for this. Gutter screens catch the big debris, the first flush diverter sends the dirtiest early water away from the tank, and the filters and UV handle what's left. Each of those only works if it has room to do its job.

Before the storm

• Clear gutters and screens. Packed leaves steep in standing water and can make gutters overflow before the water ever reaches the tank.
• Empty the first flush diverter. A diverter that's still full from the last rain, or clogged at its slow-drain outlet, can't catch anything new, so the dirty first runoff goes straight to the tank. Clear the outlet so it resets between storms.
• Check the overflow. A big storm can take a low tank to full in an afternoon. Make sure the overflow is screened, unobstructed and drains away from the tank pad and your foundation.
• Keep a spare sediment cartridge on hand.

After the storm

• Watch your pressure for a week or two. Some fine particles get past the first flush. Most settle in the tank, and some reach the sediment filter. If pressure drops, change the cartridge.
• Keep an eye on clarity. A calming inlet brings new water in gently at the bottom of the tank so it doesn't stir up the sediment layer. If your tap water looks cloudy after a storm, the inlet may be stirring things up or the sediment has built up enough to need removal. UV works best on clear water, because particles can shield bacteria from the light, so call us before you keep drinking cloudy water.
• Reset the first flush and check the gutters again. One storm can bring down a lot of leaves.

Why it matters

Tank sediment builds up a little with every storm. Good screens and a working first flush keep that slow, so the tank goes years between clean-outs instead of needing one every season, and the filters and UV aren't working harder than they were designed to.

Want a pre-season check? Call (512) 829-5800 or request service online. Our maintenance plans put filter changes, the UV lamp and a full system check on a schedule so you don't have to track it.