Rainwater Harvesting, It's Like Money From Heaven...Rainwater harvesting is the collecting, transfer, and storage of rain for later use. There are several advantages to these systems such as less stress on municipal sewer systems, less pollution of water systems, and free water for the homeowner. Although, water is abundant and cheap in many areas, it is becoming more and more expensive and scarce in other parts of the world. These systems are even required by law in some countries such as Bermuda and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are different types of systems to meet the needs of most homes and businesses. For homes, water runs off of the roof during rains and into a gutter system. The gutters transfer the water to downspouts which deliver it to the ground. The simplest method is a rainwater barrel. These barrels are placed under the downspouts and the rain is stored in them. They usually have a hydrant towards the bottom where a garden hose can be connected. Other types of roof catchment systems use large tanks that are buried in the ground. They can be a concrete vault or tanks made of polypropylene, metal, or fiberglass. These tanks are usually sized to meet the nees of the home/garden during the dry season. This water can normally be used for watering a garden or for laundry and toilets in the home. With filters and purification, the water can also be used for drinking. In areas with hard water, the rain can actually be better for these things than the water from the city.
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