Possibilities Are Endless

Rainwater harvesting can provide clean water-supply for a small community. Especially when pipelines are too expensive to set up and one central well or pump cannot be used all around the year, a rainwater catchment system is a workable solution.Some advantages of rain harvesting:
Easily accessible
Set-up costs are low, with construction easy, materials low-cost and maintenance cheap
Sustainability is higher
Easily adaptable to different types of communities Components of a rainwater harvesting systemA rainwater harvesting set-up is composed of a water-collection system, a storage cistern and a water distribution system.

It mainly needs:
Rain, and plenty of it preferably
A catchment area
Gutters or pipes
Storage tank
Filter (can be a simple metal screen filter or slow sand filter or even more sophisticated types if required or available)
Pump or pressure tank for distribution

A Closer Look

Below is a chart indicating volume use per activity. As one can see, the highlighted items all of which are major contributors to daily use can all be supplemented with rainwater. There is no reason to wash a car or driveway with potable water. Additionally, look at the difference in a conventional sprinkler type irrigation system versus a drip irrigation system. The drip or low volume system approach ensures almost 100% of the water goes directly to the root source where it is needed. Sprays and rotors waste water in the air via vapor escape and missing intended critical root zone targets.

Average Amount of Water Used for Daily Activities

Toilet flush - single cistern 2.2 gallons
Toilet flush - dual single flush 1.1 gallons
Toilet flush - dual full flush 2.2 gallons
Bath 21.9 gallons
Shower (10 minutes) 43.9 gallons
Dishwasher load 10.9 gallons
Washing machine load 32.9 gallons
Brushing teeth with tap running 1.1 gallons
Drinking, cooking, cleaningper person per day 2.2 gallons
Hand basin per use 1.1 gallons
Garden sprinkler per hour 210.0 gallons
Garden dripper per hour 0.9 gallons
Car washing with hose 43.9 gallons
Hosing driveway 21.9 gallons

North Carolina Community Plans Reclaimed Water System

Officials in Raleigh, NC hope to begin delivering reclaimed water across its service area by 2010, according to the News & Observer. Construction is expected to begin in 2008 on the first phase of a 30-year plan to deliver reclaimed water to large users in the greater Raleigh area. The $15 million project will extend reclaimed water to an amphitheatre, softball complex, and a country club. Eventually, city officials hope the system will include 145 miles of pipeline, three storage tanks, and two pumping stations at an estimated cost of $86 million. A 2005 drought resulted in mandatory water-use restrictions for residents of Raleigh. (Article from Wateresue Association)

Rainwater Harvesting No Longer A Mystery

Bandera Home and Garden Show draws a crowd of 450
By James Taylor - Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 1, 2007 12:00 PM CDT
Rainwater harvesting is the new prom king in the school of conservation, taking the popularity throne from xeriscaping, which has in years past been the top draw at the annual Bandera County Home and Garden Show."We had a very good turnout, one of our best turnouts ever, and the biggest draw of all was definitely rainwater harvesting and plant sales," Susan Queen, office administrator for the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District, said. "We had landscapers, information on organic gardening, septic and well maintenance, and many others."The water district co-hosts the event with the Bandera County Extension Office, paid for out of tax dollars in the district's public education budget. These funds also allow the district to make presentations at area schools, participate in the Bandera ISD sixth-grade fair in May, submit articles the newspaper, and recently, along with the Home and Garden Show, provide rainwater catchment seminars."We want to educate the public on ways to conserve and protect our natural resources, primarily water in our case," Queen said. "We are charged in our legislation with the duty to educate the public with respect to protecting and conserving our water resources."Queen said that the Home and Garden Show is their biggest public event, and has been held annually over the past six years. The date of next year's show has not been announced yet, but Queen said that calls are already coming in.Xeriscaping, landscaping using native plants that don't use as much water as non-natives, has in the past been one of the biggest presentations at the show, but this year, rainwater catchment, or harvesting, has seen a surge in popularity.

"I think people are becoming more conscientious about the fact that our groundwater resources are finite," Queen said. "This is a great way to not pump and use all of those resources, and it is getting more and more popular. We have more people asking about it these days."