What do you do for domestic water supply on an island that has no rivers, lakes or a dependable water supply?

The inhabitants of Bermuda, a small island in the North Atlantic have been collecting rain water from their roofs for hundreds of years. The white stepped roofs, once made of limestone, are still being used today to collect rainfall to be stored for later use. The steps in the roofs, designed 400 years ago were meant to slow the flow of the water to be collected from gutters with the water being stored under the house.

Roofs like this one built in 1640 are the only dependable source of domestic supply for the island’s 60,000 inhabitants. Limestone roofs were heavy which in part was a good choice against high winds and the white limestone mortar had anti-bacterial qualities. This practice is now mandated in building regulations requiring 8 gallons of storage for every square foot of roof. To meet the demands of increased population growth and tourism, desalination is being introduced with six plants on the island producing 13,500 meters per day.

Necessity is the mother of invention. These early settlers, as well as today’s inhabitants, are meeting their needs through conservation and cooperation.

Read more at BBC News.