Rainwater Collection?

[Aggie_Ama]

I saw this (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/09/23/0923rainwater.html)article and had already been thinking about a Rainwater System. Anyone have one, is it worth it? We would want one to somehow water the yard. Our water company charges a minimum for water and waste water we are barely over. I know it is so much better for the environment if I did my drinking water, laundry, etc but I can't justify the costs of a large system when my bills would only go down about $20/month. But the yard would be nice and healthier with rain water.

Funny this is my Mammaw has been using a crude system like this for 50+ years! She has never watered her potted plants or beds with the hose, she has a large barrel and just scoops a watering can out of it. She is so green and doesn't even know what being green is! She doesn't have A/C, only started using a dryer at 86 (which she doesn't like), takes short showers ("I just do what I need to do, no using staying in longer") and turns off the water to "warsh" dishes.

[Becky]

We have a couple of rain barrels set up. DH made them from old apple juice concentrate and pickle barrels :) They work well, although hauling buckets got really old last year. This year, we added a small electric in-line transfer pump that allows us to pump water to the garden.

I should add that we just use it for watering the garden. I really should figure out how to put some kind of in-line filter in place and use the rainwater for washing cars, bikes, and the dog...

[Serendipity]

Nothing nearly as complex as that in the article you linked to, but we've had two rainbarrels for about five years now. We use only rainwater to water our gardens and have had more than enough to do that. Now, if I was going to use rainwater for tje lawn, I would definitely want to rig up some sort of pump system to do that.
We are only on a city lot so it is not a huge area to maintain. Having said that, probably half of the lot is in gardens.
Not sure about using the rainwater for drinking water. I suppose with a filter system, but then, as you say, it gets into $$$$$ that make you wonder if it is worth it.

[Aggie_Ama]

I am definitely thinking only for the backyard and maybe the front landscaping we are about to do. The landscaping is all going to be drought tolerant so no a huge water requirement. The whole lot is 50X150 and we have a driveway plus 1630 sq ft house on it, so this isn't a big yard. The backyard already has a storage shed taking up about 11X11, then we are planting a screen/shrub bed along the back fence which can be hand or drip watered once established (again drought tolerant) and finally at some point we will be building a large pergola style patio most of the length of our house. I think in a year or two we are looking at 50X50 max of grass in the back.

My husband's brother and step father are plumbers, I think they could help us devise some sort of crude pump system? I know his stepdad did it for his own garden, has irrigation and such. Plus did some sort of set up from his own well. Hmmmm...

Definitely not for drinking, that is too much $$$$. Even though my drinking water is very hard and tastes like dirt. :p

[OakLeaf]

You definitely need an inline filter, but you can get one for like $15 (with a reusable screen) any place you get irrigation supplies, probably the same place the barrel came from.

Unless you mount the barrel very high (say, stacked 3 high), you can't use it with a drip irrigation system or an automatic waterer. Not enough pressure. That's the main thing - you have to just let a hose drain out, or fill a watering can from it, so it takes a little extra work to water.

If you want to actually use rainwater as a water supply, think seriously about installing an underground cistern with a pump. I haven't taken this step yet, but you really need to isolate the water from sunlight, insects, and airborne debris if it's going to be stored for more than a few days.

I just saw a very attractive rack made from 4x4s. Just stacked alternately, rail-fence style. Held together by drilling a hole in the corner of each piece of wood and inserting a piece of rebar vertically in each corner. You could just as easily stack barrels in a system made that way, by making the cage larger than the diameter of the barrel and putting a "floor" for each barrel.

[Aggie_Ama]

Oak- If you put a pump in can you run a sprinkler off it? It won't be a full in ground irrigation system, just one sprinkler at a time. I really think rain water is better for the yard but maybe it is all in my head. I hate to think how much water we waste watering this stupid grass and would love to get it from the rain not that we get rain right now.

I am admittedly very clueless but reading up on this. I need to figure out where the local organic/green growing center is, I have seen it on the news and I think they were talking irrigation and rain collection.

[wildhawk]

We just got two rain barrels this summer - our county hosts a rain barrel workshop every other month and you can get the rain barrels there at the workshop with the faucets already installed ($10 each). Make sure that you get only barrels previously used for food items, not ones that held chemicals. There are lots of threads on using and installing rain barrels - see if there are any workshops in your area. You will need a pump set up for your yard it seems. Without a pump, they are fine for hand watering, but there is not enough pressure to run a drip irrigation system or lawn sprinkler system. I love the old ways - especially now that I am getting into organic gardening.

[Aggie_Ama]

Without a pump, they are fine for hand watering, but there is not enough pressure to run a drip irrigation system or lawn sprinkler system. I love the old ways - especially now that I am getting into organic gardening.

This is what I thought. Thankfully we have 3 master plumbers and one very experienced Journeyman plumber in my immediate family. I am pretty sure one of them would help me out (none of them will let me pay :mad:). If nothing else my brother-in-law (the journeyman) will do it in exchange for baby sitting but I can't just pay him. My nieces are a handful I would rather pay somedays. :D

[wildhawk]

Lucky you! I am sure that they will be able to set up something for you. Most of my friends are computer geeks and live in condos. Fortunately my DH enjoys fussing with our property, which is very small by the way. We are hoping to get some acreage with our next place and do more with it. My best friend lives in Wyoming and I learned alot about gardening from her. She has a ranch and not only raises horses, but grows all her own veggies and makes everything from organic sources. She even has a root cellar to keep those veggies fresh in Wyoming winters. Good luck with your water project. Let me know what you come up with - we are always planning ahead for our next place. And anything to save money is great - one of the reasons we took up cycling again - we love our bikes!

[OakLeaf]

I haven't tried putting a pump on. I'd guess a pump wouldn't drive a big system, but maybe a small one - but I don't really know.

[carpaltunnel]

I hate to think how much water we waste watering this stupid grass ...


Aggie, what kind of grass is your yard? Have you considered a more xeric (boy, I don't know how to spell that) variety of grass? I'm a fan of some of the new varieties of buffalo grass, that require hardly any fertilizer, mowing or watering once it's established. I planted a patch this summer and plan to expand it next year. The new varieties are being developed by U. of California, U. of Nebraska, etc. to help homeowners find an attractive alternative to high requirement blue grass.
Then they license production to commercial ventures. Todd valley Farms and High Country Gardens are two early adopters.
http://www.toddvalleyfarms.com/buffalograssphotoalbum.htm

Sorry if I've gone on too long about this, I've beome an enthusiast this summer. I started when my little cat passed away and I covered her grave with a few small boulders and planted buffalo grass seeds (Cody variety) between to make an interesting texture contrast. It was so pretty I started tearing up the yard. :p

My apologies for taking this off topic, but it is a very resource thrifty idea.

[Serendipity]

I really think rain water is better for the yard.

I agree with you on that - better for the yard & gardens. From discussions on gardening forums that I keep an eye on, the general thought seems to be that it is indeed better; first of all because rainwater will be at ambient air temperature rather than cold as is typical in sprinklers systems and without the chemicals added to purify our drinking water, :D

Best of all, its free! Well, except for the rain barrels and whatever else you have to buy to get set up.

[Aggie_Ama]

Aggie, what kind of grass is your yard?

My apologies for taking this off topic, but it is a very resource thrifty idea.

Bermuda grass, basically an obnoxious weed! Half the backyard died in our summer (third hottest ever) so replanting wouldn't be that big a deal. I am off to check out the website.

DH was pretty warm to the rainwater idea, I just need to see where to get the barrels locally. Over the 'net they are pretty pricey which I am prepared for but I cannot imagine the shipping! I am pretty sure with the area having a thriving green movement there is a place to get this stuff, I just need to find it.

You can get the plastic variety from City of Austin for $95. Too bad I can't get the $60 rate my Nanny is entitled since my family still owns her home in Austin. But it wouldn't be installed at her house.

[Lifesgreat]

No good deed (possibly) goes unpunished?

From ksl.com
Catching rain water is against the law
August 12th, 2008 @ 11:49pm
By John Hollenhorst
Who owns the rain? Not you, it turns out. You're actually breaking the law if you capture the rain falling on your roof and pour it on your flower bed! A prominent Utah car dealer found that out when he tried to do something good for the environment.

Rebecca Nelson captures rainwater in a barrel, and she pours it on her plants. "We can fill up a barrel in one rainstorm. And so it seems a waste to just let it fall into the gravel," she said.

Car dealer Mark Miller wanted to do pretty much the same thing on a bigger scale. He collects rainwater on the roof of his new building, stores it in a cistern and hopes to clean cars with it in a new, water-efficient car wash. But without a valid water right, state officials say he can't legally divert rainwater. "I was surprised. We thought it was our water," Miller said.

State officials say it's an old legal concept to protect people who do have water rights. Boyd Clayton, the deputy state engineer, said, "Obviously if you use the water upstream, it won't be there for the person to use it downstream."

"Utah's the second driest state in the nation. Our water laws ought to catch up with that," Miller says.

So what about the little guy, watering with rainwater at home? Will anybody do anything about that violation of the law? Clayton said, "If she really does that, then she ought to have a water right to do it." He added that they would not likely make an issue out of it, though, because they have "bigger fish to fry."

After months of discussion, city and state officials worked out a tentative compromise with the bigger fish, Mark Miller Toyota. Jeff Niermeyer, the Salt Lake City director of public utilities, said, "He would basically be using a Salt Lake City water right and diverting it under our name."

State officials say the Mark Miller agreement could become a blueprint for other rainwater projects. Homeowner projects, although technically illegal, are likely to stay off the state radar screen.

[Aggie_Ama]

I read that opinion in the blog of the Statesman, that if you harvest rain water you are stealing it from going into the ground. Since most of our utility companies are encouraging it, I guess it is okay. :o I need to see if mine has any program, doubt it since they won't even let me call and use my check card to pay my bill instead of wasting an envelope and check. I write 2 checks a month: water and pay my family share portion of the cell phone bill.

[Lifesgreat]

Please know I wasn't getting after anyone who wants to use rainwater it's just the article was something that never occurred to me.

Like I said, no good deed goes unpunished :o

Next they are going to tell me I can't flush my toilet as often. . . but wait, that eventually goes back into the water system, so never mind :D

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh I know what you meant, no offense to my plans. It is really stupid IMO what Utah is doing. I am sure in Utah like here in dry Texas you have water restrictions and are encouraged to conserve. I don't see the issue with either of the two people in the article.

Heck in Austin they have been applauding our new Dell Children's Hospital for 1. using recycled materials from the old airport they leveled to build it 2. rain water collection system 3. solar powered areas 4. lots of natural light from atriums further reducing electricity 5. native and drought tolerant landscaping. So the idea presented by a reader in our local paper that rainwater collection is stealing the water meant for our aquifer is just funny! This person is obviously out of touch with the current political/social environment they live in.

My house is on a big ol' huge chunk of limestone, it will be years before the rain water I would "steal" would ever make it to the aquifer. I consider it proactive to harvest the water and cut down the consumption. :p

[GLC1968]

Amanda - check your local craigslist for rain barrels and supplies. I often see them here (where rainwater collection is HUGE) but I also used to see them in NC...so it might be an option for you, too.

We don't have a system set up yet, but we do have a shallow well/cistern with a pump that waters our property (garden, orchard and lawn). We still need to build a bigger shelter for our goats before the winter rains start, so we plan to use a metal or fiberglass roof and put a rain barrel out there. Then we can use that water for the goats and chickens to drink (as well as for the garden). Eventually, we want to use rainwater for the toilets too - but that's a future project for us...

Our challenge is storage. There is no shortage of rain between October and May, but July through most of September is bone dry here (as in NO rain). We need to figure out how to make the water we collect all winter last (safely) for use all summer!

[carpaltunnel]

Amanda, best of luck with your rainwater system. Please post your progress from time to time...I'd like to hear how it goes!

[Aggie_Ama]

Amanda, best of luck with your rainwater system. Please post your progress from time to time...I'd like to hear how it goes!

I think we will be holding off until the spring but definitely have this on our house project list, which is very long. We don't want to have to worry about the system for the few freezes of the winter, plus we will be pretty broke when the landscaping we hope to do is done. That is if DH has stock of our plants before the optimum planting time is done!

The barrells are pretty reasonable but the whole pump system won't be rocking and rolling for a bit. I found one site that said the pumps are about $400 but I will need to see what some of the plumbers might be able to get it for through their wholesalers.