greenliving
EVERY DROP COUNTS
Reusing Rainwater Saves Money and is Better for Plants
by Brita Belli D
oug Pushard, an expert in rainwater catchment sys- tems who shares his know-how at
HarvestH2O.com, believes that homeowners capture rainfall for two rea- sons—either to make the most of a precious water resource in states with low seasonal precipitation or to control storm- water runoff in states with high precipitation. It’s also an easy way to make a dent in household water and sewer bills. Capturing and managing rainwater provides an environmentally sound alternative to wasting precious tap water pulled from diminishing underground reservoirs, and can
replace some or all of a home’s water needs, depending on the system. Rainwater is also better for nourishing lawns, plants and gardens. “People want to use rainwater instead of city water in their yards because they understand that city water carries chlorine, which is not great for plants,” Pushard explains. The amount of water used by residential irrigation is significant. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Water Sense Program, an American family of four uses 400 gallons of water a day, including 30 percent of it outside. More than half of that outdoor water is used for lawns and gardens, with the rest sprayed on cars, in swim- ming pools and on sidewalks and driveways. Collectively, nationwide landscape irrigation totals more than 7 billion gallons per day.
Water Calculations
In its simplest form, rainwater harvesting involves little more than placing rain barrels—with capacities from 55 gallons to several hundred gallons—under a home’s downspouts. Popular models can be purchased from home improvement stores, or county extension classes teach how to make one from inexpensive parts. Online research shows the various styles available; most have a spigot at the base for attaching a hose or filling a watering can.
The larger capacity, more sophisticated systems use storage cisterns than can hold thousands of gallons of water below ground. These employ pumps that move the water to sprinkler systems or other points of use.
For these more complicated setups, Pushard recom- mends engaging professional help, adding that below-ground systems will capture excess water year-round, even in cli- mates where temperatures drop. “In northern New Mexico, where I live, we get almost one-third of our precipitation in the winter,” he says. “If you have a below-ground system, you can capture that; with an above-ground one, you can’t, because the tank or fittings would freeze and burst.” The formula for determining the maximum amount of water available to capture is related to roof size. Multiply the square footage of the roof times the local annual rainfall
44 Collier/Lee Counties
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
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