Tag Archives: conservation

Commercial Rainwater Harvesting, Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Benefits of Rainwater Collection

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drops-plant-leaves-43481_1280Significant, economic, social, and environmental benefits can be achieved by collecting, storing, and using rainwater. According to the Texas A&M AgriLlife Extension and the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA), rainwater harvesting benefits individuals and communities in many ways:

CONSERVES WATER: Rainwater harvesting provides an alternative water source to well water and public water supplies. About 50 to 70 % of all household water is used for landscape irrigation and other outdoor activities.

CONSERVES ENERGY: Because rainwater harvesting bypasses the centralized water system, it conserves energy. Many household systems require only a small pump to create water pressure in the pipes, and many non potable systems operate by gravity.

PREVENTS FLOODING AND EROSION: Part of the local rainfall is diverted into collection tanks or passive harvesting methods, leaving less storm water to manage. Stormwater problems are turned into water supply assets by slowing runoff and allowing it to soak into the ground.

DECREASES WATER CONTAMINATION: Captured rainwater does not cause immediate runoff. Limiting runoff helps decrease the contamination of surface water by sediments, fertilizers, and pesticides in rainfall runoff.

REDUCES PERSONAL WATER BILLS: Rainwater can be used in landscaping, for toilets, and for washing laundry. With more filtration and treatment, it can be used for cooking and drinking as well.

SUPPLIES NUTRIENTS TO PLANTS: Rainwater often contains nitrogen which provides a slight fertilizing effect for plants.

PROVIDES NATURALLY SOFT WATER: The use of rainwater can significantly reduce the amounts of detergents and soaps needed. It also prevents soap scum, hardness deposits, and the need for water softeners.

Rainwater collection has many advantages over well water, surface water or city water that the homeowner or business can be rewarded with. A well thought out system will provide many years of quality, reliable, safe water.

Infrastructure

California Drought is a Crisis Not an Inconvenience

California Drought MonitorThe news is exploding with commentary on every angle of the drought in California, pitting industry against the general public. With all the posturing of a political thread on Facebook, opposing sides are slinging blame, “the other guy needs to do something” and coming up with “facts” as to why.

A  20% voluntary reduction failed miserably across the board and with 99% of the state feeling the effects of drought and 66% in “extreme or exceptional” drought (according to the US Drought Monitor), it is now clear to all that action needs to be taken immediately — and by all. Governor Brown’s mandatory restrictions of 25% is a start, but they need to be implemented collectively. Limiting lawn watering and driveway wash down,  while a help,  is not going to be the fix. The affluent will simply pay the fines, leaving the burden on the less wealthy, and will also not generate much in the way of water savings. It is difficult to see where anyone has taken proactive drought measures to date, instead relying on “the other guy needs to do something” attitude.  The drought issue should have been appropriately addressed a few years ago. After four years of drought, not much has action has happened, other than to drill deeper.

The solution is for all to collectively to come together and adjust our lifestyle (public) or operations (industry) for the good of all. Simply hoping that the drought will end naturally in another year will most likely end with the same results as this past year’s use, showing more consumption than ever.

We must stop taking water for granted. We turn on the tap and don’t think about the fact that there might not be enough. We’ve never had to worry about it before, so why should we now?

The greatest impact will be made by increasing the price of water – keeping in mind that there needs to be water available for basic needs such as hydration, hygiene and food production. This does not mean high water use agriculture should continue with business as usual.  It may be time to plan for a more sustainable crop based on nutrition needs and resource availability, rather than high profits. Fracking for natural gas and oil in the drought area should be restricted at best, if not halted immediately and the general public should also curtail unnecessary water use.

The drought is a crisis, not an inconvenience. Stalling the fix by means of fighting over the water will end up in a disaster that none of us will be able to live with. A concerted effort, along with a huge change in policy with adherence is needed for long term solutions to this drought.

California has a chance to show the world what its government, people and industry can do in the face of a natural disaster – or they can show us the alternative of what we may indeed have become.

Rainwater Catchment, Rainwater Harvesting Education

Managing Drought with Conservation Techniques

Could the recent storm in California have put a dent in the drought?

slimline tanksWe can’t change the weather, but we can make better use of it.

With a reported 2 – 4 inches of rainfall in Los Angeles county and 4 to 5 inches in San Diego county from this recent winter storm, widespread flooding was what we heard about on the news. News station weather centers were quoted as saying, “While the rains in California have been generous, they are far from enough to put a dent in the drought.” Since 80% of California is experiencing drought, while this record rainfall caused some flooding and damage, it was also an opportunity to see how we can apply conservation techniques to harness water for toilet flushing and laundry facilities.

For an average 3,500 square foot home in San Diego, four inches of rainfall could have collected approximately 7,500 gallons of water. In Los Angeles with only 1.5” of rainfall, the same house could have collected 2,780 gallons. If this hypothetical 35,000 square foot home collected, stored and used this rain from this single event, merely for toilet flushing, it would equal over 2,225 flushes or approximately 10 flushes per day for the whole year. Applying the same scenario to the San Diego house could mean the same 10 flushes per day PLUS 168 loads of laundry per year! Imagine how much water could be collected if a commercial building, with its larger roof space was to apply this practice.

Drought can be managed if the right conservation techniques are applied.

Photo: Ray Chavez/Bay Area New Group