Rainwater harvesting – save money with these sustainable ideas
Although collecting rainwater for later use is a tried and true water conservation method, it is becoming increasingly popular in the home. Rainwater collection and reuse can help homeowners save money on their water and energy bills by reducing their demand for municipal or mains water supplies.
You can also make significant strides toward environmental friendliness by implementing several other strategies, such as a sustainable gardening plan or other eco-friendly home renovations. An excellent place to begin, though, is with rainwater harvesting and other forms of water conservation.
WHAT IS RAINWATER HARVESTING?
The term “rainwater harvesting” refers to collecting and storing precipitation for later use. We could easily use that water for garden irrigation. Indoor services include flushing the toilet and doing the laundry, but in the most advanced systems, it can be used for everything from drinking to washing the dishes.
There are several advantages to rainwater gathering. It’s a strategy for decreasing the need for municipal or mains water and installing water-saving fixtures like taps, showerheads, and toilets.
As a bonus, it also helps mitigate climate change by reducing the amount of stormwater run-off. Stormwater run-off can undermine the banks of streams, spread contaminants and potentially trigger local flooding.
While installing a rainwater collecting system entails costs, rain itself is free, so not only will you save money each year, but your home will also be better for the environment.
RAINWATER HARVEST FOR THE GARDEN
Most plants can thrive in rainfall and thus reduces the need to waste potable water on non-essential garden tasks.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that outdoor water use makes up about 30% of total household water use but may be significantly higher in arid regions and water-intensive landscapes. As an illustration, “landscape irrigation accounts for a large portion of the high household water demand in the arid western states.”
These methods of collecting and storing rainwater will not only help you save money on your water bill but also help you save the planet by reducing or eliminating your need to use potable water for gardening irrigation.
HOW MUCH WATER CAN BE COLLECTED?
It would help if you researched the average annual rainfall in your area before making any decisions about the size of your rainwater gathering system.
Current Results has data for both American states and British regions so that you can check the numbers for your area. Next, multiply the yearly rainfall by 0.2, deduct 20% for evaporation and overflow, and divide the result by the roof’s “flat area” (which is usually the same as the footprint of the home below) (multiply your result by 0.8 to make this deduction). The amount of rainwater collected in a year is the correct answer.
1. ADD A RAIN BARREL TO YOUR GARDEN
A rain barrel or water butt is the most basic method of capturing rainwater for use in a garden. Collecting rainwater for your garden by attaching these barrels to the end of your home’s drain pipes is easy.
Although conventional green or black plastic rain barrels are easily recognizable, you may be shocked to learn that they are not your only choices. These days, you may choose from a wide variety of styles that will go in with your garden’s aesthetic, including ones made of terracotta, galvanized metal, and even materials that incorporate planters.
It’s possible that this won’t be enough because most barrels can only hold between 50 and 100 gallons. One potential drawback is that there may be excess, leading to unnecessary garbage. They are compact, so they may be placed in varying-sized yards, expanding access to rainwater gathering.
The Environmental Protection Agency warns that “direct and indirect sunlight will act as a stimulus for algae growth in the cistern,” so protecting the cistern from sunlight is essential.
2. WET AND DRY SYSTEMS
Love the concept of filling up a water tank instead of a rain barrel? In a ‘dry’ system, like the one we have, you can easily upgrade to a larger tank. Like a rain barrel, the storage tank sits by the home, but its capacity is considerably more significant, and it can handle the amount of rain that comes during a storm.
Wet systems are more advanced. Here, water flows into a big tank from downspouts attached to gutters surrounding the home. This method maximizes the usable collection area. The tank’s portability is another perk, as it allows for placement in a location other than the basement. It has the option of being placed above ground, but it might also be concealed below the earth. Water held in underground tanks is also protected from bacterial growth due to the constant temperature.
3. RAINWATER HARVESTING FOR USE INDOORS
Water that is fit for human consumption is not needed for domestic plumbing devices like toilets and washing machines. Rainwater harvesting provides a solution for various applications, and its use helps preserve potable water for times of greatest need. Using rainwater for laundry is a fantastic approach to reducing your environmental impact.
However, if adequately filtered and disinfected, collected rainwater can be used to satisfy the need for drinking water. Therefore, this calls for a more high-tech system of harvesting throughout the entire house.
A whole-house system consists of a storage tank, pipelines, pumps, filters, fittings, and a control unit. In the United Kingdom, systems “are ” supplemented by municipal or private well water supplies as a backup water source.” In contrast, in the United States, “mains water” is the primary water source.
It is important to conduct tests to ensure the safety of rainwater harvested for human use. Additional disinfection against bacteria is essential, and this can be achieved with an ultraviolet filter or other treatment devices. It undergoes a secondary filtration process to ensure that no large debris, such as leaves, makes it into the storage tank with the rainwater.
When preparing for rainwater harvesting, remember that frequent repair and maintenance of the system is essential and that you should budget for this in addition to the original installation.
4. REUSE YOUR GRAYWATER
Although it is not strictly rainwater gathering, greywater reuse effectively reduces water use and saves money.
How much water would it take if you had a shower right now? The typical American shower consumes 15.8 gallons (59.8 litres) of water for 7.8 minutes, reports Home Water Works. According to the EPA, the typical American family uses 82 gallons of water daily, which is a lot of wasted water that may be used for better use.
Anni Noel Johnson, the CEO of Sprout, suggests that people “collect grey water and use it to water the garden.” This may result from the kitchen sink, washing machine, bathroom sink, bathtub, or shower. Avoid water exposed to food scraps, oil, chlorine, disinfectants, and dishwashing salt, but you can worry less about your plants being harmed by ordinary household soaps and detergents.
Grey water can be collected in various ways, such as by carrying a bucket into the shower with you and dumping it out with a hose, boiling vegetables in it, or using it to refill half-empty water bottles or pet bowls. Those plants that thrive in acidic conditions can benefit from watering with cold coffee. Before you flush water down the toilet, ask yourself if it may be used to irrigate your plants.
5. INSTALL AN AUTOMATIC GRAYWATER IRRIGATION SYSTEM
For a longer-lasting alternative, think about installing a greywater irrigation system. Adding a diverter to your plumbing system will redirect the water supply to the garden rather than down the drain. Install a diverter valve by having one cut in by a plumber. This allows you to direct shower water into your garden and bath water cleaned with bleach and other chemicals down the drain.
You can water your lawn normally with a hose gun after connecting a hose to the device’s output. WaterTwo owner Martin Scarborough recommends a soaker hose as an alternative for automatically watering plants, borders, and lawns.
To avoid additional treatment, grey water should be used immediately rather than retained. “It is also recommended that you do not use the bath water on anything that you subsequently intend to eat!” Martin exclaims.
6. DITCH THE HOSE
Using a watering can instead of a hosepipe attached to the mains is a fantastic method to save water when watering your flower bed ideas, and it’s a simple change that works well with other rainwater collection ideas. Turning the hose on and off as you move from one plant to another wastes water and prevents you from thoroughly soaking the leaves while you do it.
7. USE MORE MULCH
If you currently have a rain barrel and use a watering can to collect rainwater, you may consider adding water conservation strategies. Every effort to lessen the burden of watering the garden, which is universally considered a chore, is welcome.
Using mulch and other no-dig gardening practices to boost soil health and reduce weed growth can significantly reduce water usage. Mulching your plant bases with wood chips will assist in maintaining soil moisture by cutting down on evaporation.
8. PARK THE MOWER
Lawn irrigation is a significant contributor to water waste in the United States. A week of watering an average-sized American lawn for 20 minutes daily is equivalent to four days of continuous showering or more than 800 showers. According to experts quoted in a United States Environmental Protection Agency report, that’s the same as if a typical family took 365 showers over a year.
The amount of water needed to maintain a lawn is something to consider, even if you plan to irrigate it with collected rainwater.
Cutting less lawn maintenance during the warmer months can help keep grass from becoming brown. Since longer grass necessitates longer roots, and deeper roots demand less frequent watering, a long grass lawn requires less regular watering.
Find out how often you should mow your lawn and what kind of fertilizer to use so that your grass always looks its best.
9. ADD WATERING STORING GRANULES TO YOUR COMPOST
Water-saving gel, like Miracle Water Storing Crystals, is a less well-known yet effective way of keeping your plants hydrated. Use just two tablespoons per 5 gallons of compost; the granules will persist for two years before breaking down naturally in the soil. Ideal for potted plants, which are the first to dry out in warm weather, the granules swell with water, which they gently release into the soil as it dries out.
Even if you use the best plants for hanging baskets and there is rain during the summer, the plants may still struggle to retain enough water without the help of water-conserving gel.
10. RIGHT PLANTS, RIGHT PLACE
Plants like lavender, foxtail lilies, bearded iris, sedums, and passion flowers thrive in arid conditions and won’t strain your irrigation system. Naturally, knowing how to take care of a new plant in your garden is necessary. To give your new plant the best possible start in life, for example, by growing lavender, you need to learn when to plant lavender and how to grow and care for lavender.
Beans, beetroots, carrots, and peppers, to name a few, are highly water-hungry plants, and vegetable gardens, in general, require a lot of water. Concentrate your watering efforts and save money by limiting their range. To grow vegetables for consumption, you should only utilize water collected through rainwater gathering systems.
WHY SHOULD I HARVEST RAINWATER?
Rainwater collection is an environmentally responsible solution to the problem of water scarcity brought on by climate change and population increase. Furthermore, it can help the environment by reducing the amount of rainwater wasted as runoff. Non-treated water is also beneficial to garden plants.
“The typical American household consumes more than 300 gallons of water each day,” reports the EPA (EPA). Meanwhile, according to the Environment Agency, the average daily home use in the United Kingdom is 330 or 140 litres per person.
“Many locations will suffer substantial water deficits by 2050 if we do not expand water supply, reduce consumption, and cut down on waste,” The head of the EPA, Emma Howard Boyd, made this claim in her agency’s annual report on the environment.
CAN YOU COLLECT RAINWATER FOR A GARDEN?
Gathering rainwater for use in a garden is possible. If you have gutters, a water butt attached to the downspouts is the simplest way to collect rainwater for later use in the park. We can collect water from the rain by doing this.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING?
Rainwater collection, even on a small scale, is an important way of water conservation that helps to decrease wastewater and enables us to live greener lives. Harvesting rainwater is essential since it mitigates the negative impacts of drought and allows you to maintain your garden’s verdant appearance even in the hottest and driest times of the year.
