44 replies to this topic

[jasonb]

Rain water is equivalent to the cleanest water (distilled water). There is no chemicals in it like chlorine such as used in tap water - bear in mind that your tap water in many cases comes from sewage works in the first place!

They have a dirt trap as mentioned upstream, and this just works - I've used the water in electrolysis experiments and so know it is clean as have to add salts for electrolysis to commence. The system is standalone and you manually fill a water container and put in fridge, we are also out in the country and our tap water is very hard (brinish).

[Sugarhill]

Okay, thanks for answering. I didn't think it was a situation of acid rain, but I would just never think to drink it without at least boiling it first and then going from there.

[Hardison]

FamilyTreeClimber, on 09 July 2012 - 07:05 PM, said:

There is no incentive for it in California that I know of.  However, it would be a wonderful solution to water shortage problems in the inland valleys where Summer temps are mostly in the 95-110 range.  Those people are always struggling to get enough water for everything they do.

I don't know of any incentive either in California. Considering how little rain we are getting, it would be wise to harvest as much as we can.

When I was a kid, we (Southern CA) always had a rainy season. I can remember houses in Malibu sliding down the hillside. Now, it's practically a miracle if we get a month's worth of rain.

[ACSAPA]

I'm impressed that you guys have actual rain harvesting systems. I can't even call what I have a system. I simply have a couple of big Rubbermaid (I think) barrels that catch the rain and then I dip my watering can in there and go around watering my plants. I also use some of the water to clean my bathtub and toilet. I don't worry about particles or dirt since I don't drink the water.

We have water restrictions in my city sometimes so my primitive rain barrels that aren't hooked up to gutters are how I keep my lawn alive in the summer. It helps that we have a steeply angled roof that the rain rolls off of and into my containers.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Found these DIY projects for making our own rain-barrels; most are inexpensive and can be done in a short time.
(Also more links in the piece for more information.)

http://www.treehugge...in-barrels.html

[E3 wise]

Nice post great information on making your own rain barrels, we love ours everyone should have some.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

E3 wise, on 27 December 2012 - 07:00 PM, said:

Nice post great information on making your own rain barrels, we love ours everyone should have some.

Now all we need is some rain.

[dian_bolden]

I am thinking of doing the same thing as Shortpoet-GTD for my home. It is a great idea that the city offers incentive to those who will be recycling water. Money is one of the best motivator to get people to do things. It's just like answering the question, why do we work? We work to have money. We are recycling because we want to earn money, at the same time (I hope) we get to value the importance of water. There has been a concern that by a few years time we won't have enough water to supply the entire world and the price of potable water would be so expensive. If we conserve the use of water now, we can somehow prevent the theory of water shortage from happening. - Dian

[Shortpoet-GTD]

A few years back, Planet Green had a good show on called Renovation Nation (long since cancelled) but they
featured a homeowner that had huge tanks installed in their yard for rainwater capture.
Been my pipe-dream since.
So I just gather what I can on a smaller basis.

Some info here.
http://planetgreen.d...ovation-nation/

[Shortpoet-GTD]

If you live in any of these cities, rainwater harvesting is an excellent idea; lot's of rain (maybe too much).
But it could well be worth the investment of having cisterns installed.
http://www.ncdc.noaa...emental/page-2/

http://academic.ever...ssmaz/PALMBAJP/

(Maybe considered spam but great information/graphics)
http://www.rainxchange.com/

[conor]

Rainwater harvesting is a great thing to recycle water and everyone can do this at their home. That water can be used in drinking or another daily work. You can see the steps here: http://www.wikihow.c...usehold-Setting want to harvest water at home.

This is a nice concept to discuss thanks for sharing.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

A few more links-
http://www.instructa...-a-wine-barrel/

(Also, on the right of above page, there are more idea's for types of barrels)

http://www.familyhan...barrel/view-all

https://www.youtube....h?v=fn_5HRgiftg

[Besoeker]

conor, on 21 April 2014 - 11:10 PM, said:

Rainwater harvesting is a great thing to recycle water and everyone can do this at their home.

It's an excellent idea.
I think everyone who can should.
Unfortunately not everyone can.
In fact, a great many can't.

[Dustoffer]

I use rainwater catchment for my Earthship.  It is only theoretically distilled water.  On the way, rain picks up toxins in the air, in addition to pollens, wild yeasts, soots, and any leachates from roofing or debris on the roof.  It could also get jammed with volcanic ash in some areas.
So, you do need a filter that will take out everything, for the water you use for drinking and washing.   An ultraviolet sterilizer is often used.

[Dustoffer]

Watch this reporter drink purified sewage

By James West and Suzanne Goldenberg

"This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. The article was reported by the Guardian’s Suzanne Goldenberg, and the video was produced by Climate Desk’s James West.
The golden state’s historic drought is forcing once-squeamish Californians to take a new look at “toilet-to-tap” water reuse. Or as they prefer to call it in Fountain Valley, “showers to flowers.”The town in conservative Orange County is home to the largest water recycling plant in the world and an example during this epic drought of the life-altering changes California will have to make to avoid running out of water. The first would be to get over the idea that water is an infinite resource, or that it pours out of the tap straight from a pristine, underground spring."
http://grist.org/cli..._campaign=daily
Then you have frackers using over a million gallons of water per well, also ruining the ground above that was once irrigated wheat fields.  Apparently oil is more important than food or water!!??!

[E3 wise]

Nuclear is not any better, at story reported in the Miami Herald this last week revealed the FPL the local electric utility running Turkey Point Nuclear Power plant has begun pulling 12 million gallons a day from the Florida aquifer to cool 2 recently added nuclear reactors.  Yes 12 million gallons a day.  Because the new reactors are heating the water above the 100F limit, FPL has received permission to increase temps to 104F and pull the water from the aquifer.

All ready South Florida Water Management District is all ready dealing with Salt Water Intrusion from low ground water levels, the South Florida aquifer depleantion has been a long time coming but with growth come a much greater need for water and many areas have initiated water restriction during droughts.  

FPLs gain is that they pay very low water rates using much of the water from on site wells, there by avoiding water costs, yet the aquifer which is shared by everyone continues to decline steadily.  With Florida's constitutional law allowing Elecric Utilites to act as monopolies, it would seem there power reaches all the way to the state legislator, receiving almost no comments from state law makers.  

Ultimately it will be the residents who will pay with higher water and water shortages.

[eds]

France has a huge water usage by Nuclear.

[Dustoffer]

I don't believe Gen IV uses water for cooling.  I knew about Florida's salt water massive intrusion, and on the interior, water contaminated with sewage and leachates from dumps.  Hot water feeding crocodile lakes from the Gens 1 to 3 there.
As far as rainwater catchment goes, Colorado technically does not allow it, unless it is on the footprint of a greenhouse and used for watering inside.  No enforcement of note, so many have catchment barrels.
It isn't so bad using on plants, but can contain toxins, depending on the type of roofing material and area.  I used several coats of acrylic on my Earthship.  Many use rubber, and lightweight concrete Bermuda roofs along with tile.  Asphalt shingles or roofing is toxic or carcinogenic.  Rainwater can also contain many molds, yeasts, and pollens, along with mercury fallout from distant coal plants.
I have a filter that takes it all out for emergency drinking or cooking water.
However, Earthships are allowed to use catchment for filtered/UV exposed  drinking and household use, while grey water is used for toilets and planters.  There is also a black water system that feeds an orchard on the lot, in their designs.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Some more idea's for saving water-
http://www.bobvila.c...n/#.U-jC9eNdWSo

http://www.wikihow.c...llection-System

http://www.motherear...0z1307zsal.aspx

https://www.youtube....h?v=girnk6N1n9Q

http://www.diynetwor...tion/index.html

[SheforACT]

MyDigitalpoint, on 04 July 2012 - 03:16 AM, said:

I pretty much like the image you shared on water storage system too.  We do store rain waters at home but this procedure is way too good to recycle rain water.  I think this is good for someone or household that have bigger spaces for this storage procedure.