Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting
The benefits of capturing and storing rainwater are:
• Greater water independence (It's your water to use as you determine)
• Reliable water source for landscape irrigation
• Fire protection
• Emergency use
• Decreased water bills
• Capital improvement to property
• Cost effective when compared to well drilling or fire supply connections
• Environmentally sound choice
• Rebates offered by many water districts
• On-site storm water retention and aquifer recharge
Our clients find many reasons to capture rainwater. The most immediate benefit enjoyed by our clients is the independence they gain from owning their own water source. Reasons for independence from municipal supplies or from well water include:
• Irrigation for landscape. Plants love rainwater and it is the ideal source for irrigation when stored for summer usage. Rain naturally fertilizes plants (with nitrogen and sulfur) while at the same time flushing out harmful salts from the soil. Rainwater does not contain potential toxins and chemicals from water treatment plants or municipal underground pipes.
• Fire protection. Jurisdictional requirements vary but having an on-site rainwater supply gives the homeowner peace of mind and saves thousands of dollars compared to installing an expensive fire supply connection for the property.
• Stored rainwater is available for irrigation when water restrictions for irrigation are enforced and for emergency situations when municipal supplies may not be available or sufficient (in the case of fire or earthquakes).
• We are all aware of rising costs of purchasing water. By storing and using cost-free rain, we save energy and reduce water bills.
• Rainwater harvesting systems are considered a valuable capital improvement to property. The return on investment varies from project to project but our clients have found the independence gained from owning their own systems is priceless. For new construction, the cost of the initial rainwater system is minimal when added to the overall project loan.
• Inadequate well water supply. Drilling a new well is expensive and often requires multiple tries before finding sufficient water.
• Rainwater is a primary source of water. The water in our homes comes from rain. Simply put -- rain saturates the ground and replenishes the underground aquifers and rivers. Water is then pumped to municipal treatment plants where it is treated, piped and pumped -- sometimes great distances -- to our homes. Capturing the pure rainwater that falls on our roofs reduces the need and demand for treated water. By saving and utilizing this free resource, we conserve precious water for our own needs as well as for wildlife, aquatic life and agriculture. Harvesting rainwater greatly minimizes stormwater runoff and harmful effects to the environment. These include erosion, water pollution, sedimentation and costs of infrastructure, maintenance and repair.
• Municipal water districts know that rainwater catchment systems can save thousands of gallons water when it is needed most - during the peak demand of the warmer seasons. Check with your water district to determine if rebates are offered for rainwater harvesting. Several water districts on the central coast offer rebates when systems are installed for irrigation or non-potable use.
• Aquifer recharge. Many properties contain impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt. By keeping rainwater on-site and redirecting rain flow to areas that are permeable such as gardens, it allows rain to percolate into the soil thereby recharging our ground water supply.
• Stormwater management. Stormwater management is defined as the method of controlling stormwater runoff for the purposes of reducing erosion, water quality degradation, and flooding. These steps are imperative to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of development on the environment.
Rainwater and Potability
Rainwater is a very high quality water source. With necessary treatment such as filtration and ultra-violet light, rainwater can reach potable standards. Typically potable water in the U.S. is chlorinated to eliminate potentially harmful microorganisms; however, without chlorination, rainwater can also be brought to potable quality. In other countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, Israel and India, rainwater is used as drinking water. Primarily the rainwater harvesting systems we design provide non-potable water for irrigation and fire protection purposes.
Rainwater Harvesting versus Desalination
Rainwater collection and usage is simple, environmentally sound and puts us in control of the most precious resource on the planet. Whereas, installation of a desalination plant to produce freshwater from salt water has many adverse impacts -- the cost of desalination is extraordinarily high and rising daily, there are massive energy requirements (to squeeze all the salt and impurities out of the seawater), the pumping costs are very high (from transporting processed water from the treatment plant to the users), the nearby marine habitat is adversely affected and desalination plants take a long time to construct. In conclusion, desalination is a costly, complex, and environmentally questionable choice.
Catch rain where it falls- An ancient Indian proverb:
Rain harvesting is an age old solution -- catching rainwater directly from the source and storing it for many different uses. Thanks to today's modern green movement, our society is acknowledging the importance of having a pure water supply for landscape irrigation and water feature use, fire protection and independence.
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