Watering with rainwater: some questions

[Subrosa]

Here's a pic showing my set up. You can see the red handles of the valve in the closed position to the bottom left of the bucket. In that position water backs up about halfway up the bucket and then exits through the side outlet and away from the house. Notice that plenty of leaves are lying on top due to some recent storms too!

[catherinecarney]

Thanks for the pic. I'll definitely have to set up something like this come spring!

[RandomGemini]

In some locations, rainwater collection barrels are illegal, so make sure that you check local laws before installing one. Here, I am allowed to catch small amounts of rainwater, but I am limited to the amount I can store. I was planning to install a rainwater collection barrel and was informed by a neighbor that is a lawyer, that it's illegal to install a rainwater catch in my state, without a permit allowing me to harvest the water. He had the same idea for his wife's house plants. Water here is considered to belong to the public, yes, even the rain, so you can't collect it without permission.

Apparently this is common on the west coast, because water is very precious here and is a non-issue on the east coast.

[catherinecarney]

Perfectly legal here, and, IMO should be legal everywhere--saves potable water out of aquifers....And, I'll bet there are loopholes, not to mention sneaky ways to collect it and store it. But I'll leave the details to those of you in the situation with creative minds.....

I've been eyeing all the downspouts on the house as I've been doing chores today, and looks like I can add rain barrels at three of them (the fourth drains onto a steep slope and I don't see an easy way to site the barrel). And there's an ad on Craigslist for food grade 55 gallon drums.....Hmmmmm....

Catherine

[RandomGemini]

Run off from rain and snow is how our aquifer gets replenished here, so I'm betting that's why collection is illegal.

[catherinecarney]

Hadn't thought of that--makes sense.

How are they with greywater recycling?

Catherine

[Subrosa]

I have a 55 gal drum with an identical bucket filter setup on one of my other downspouts as well! I can't use the other two, one because of an Azalea and the other because of my oil tank. If rainwater collection became illegal around here I'd move! If it became illegal everywhere I'd buy a house with a basement............

[catherinecarney]

One of the aquarists I know directed all of the rainwater from his roof into tubs in his basement fish room and used it for water changes and to culture daphnia. Bred some incredibly difficult fish and raised bunches of them due to the near continuous water changes and live food he had available because of his system.

Waste water from the tanks got pumped out onto the plantings around his yard, so it didn't "go to waste" and was certainly available to recharge the local groundwater.

Catherine

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by catherinecarney

One of the aquarists I know directed all of the rainwater from his roof into tubs in his basement fish room and used it for water changes and to culture daphnia. Bred some incredibly difficult fish and raised bunches of them due to the near continuous water changes and live food he had available because of his system.

Waste water from the tanks got pumped out onto the plantings around his yard, so it didn't "go to waste" and was certainly available to recharge the local groundwater.

Catherine

It really makes a difference with a lot of species! My tapwater ranges from 200-280 ppm and breeding most Tetras was only a dream before I started using rainwater. Now if they didn't eat their own eggs almost as fast as they lay them, and there wasn't a 3" Banded Sunfish in the tank with them I'd have Lemon Tets coming out of my ears! As it is I don't foresee running out anytime soon! I've been using my tapwater after the fish have polluted it on my tomatoes for years. They appreciate the extra calcium!

[RandomGemini]

Originally Posted by catherinecarney

Hadn't thought of that--makes sense.

How are they with greywater recycling?

Catherine

Our state passed a law in 2011 requiring all local irrigation districts to implement some kind of grey water recycling system for below ground irrigation. I believe our city is talking about installing some sort of system to funnel light greywater to those of us with inground sprinkler systems, to water the landscaping. Nearly everyone that I know here, has some kind of in ground irrigation system for their landscaping, because it just doesn't rain here after the snow leaves. You have to, otherwise you wouldn't have any landscaping at all.

They're also talking about banning washing your car in your driveway, which is just crazy to me, because the same soaps that are in car soap are also in the shampoo you use on your hair and the waste water from your shower, is considered greywater and is totally safe for reuse, but the car soap isn't?

People are so weird. LOL!