A Warwickshire company has introduced a household rainwater harvesting system to help people reduce their carbon footprint by recycling rain.

SCP Environmental Limited, based in Shipston on Stour, says its rainwater harvesting systems are a effective way of addressing the problems of water shortages, climate change and environment.

The system works by channeling rain water running off roofs through guttering into a collection tank. It is then sucked through a filter and pumped into a house to be used in toilets or washing machines, for example.

As well as the environmental benefits, Mathew Rolph, General Manager of SCP Environmental Limited, explained the other advantages: "Rain water is classed as soft water which is not only naturally better for plant life, it prevents lime scale from building up on the inside of pipes, meaning your washing machine will live longer and so will your clothes.

"Rain water harvesting systems save energy, time and money that would otherwise have been used to bring things like hosepipe and toilet water unnecessarily up to drinking water standard.

For example, over purified water is being used in masses to wash cars and flush toilets.

"There is no need for this waste of water and energy when we could be using naturally resourced rain water for tasks such as these, particularly as the average house only uses two per cent of their mains water for cooking/drinking.

"The more rain water harvesting systems that are used, the less likely the UK is to flood and the less likely water companies are to enforce hosepipe bans."

The roof of a typical four bedroom house captures more than 100,000 litres of water per year.

It is estimated that there is 18 times more rainwater available than the net consumption of the population.

A typical household uses:

9 per cent of their water on gardens, car washing11.3 per cent in washing machines30.6 per cent flushing toilets35.3 per cent Shower/bathAll the above could be substituted with rain water by using a rain water harvesting system, says the company.

6 per cent Dishes

5.3 per cent general indoor cleaning2 per cent Drinking/cooking