Comments on: Right as Rain Pt. 1: Why Harvesting Rain Is The Right Thing To Do http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/ Resurrecting the Craft of Simple and Healthy Living On A Small Farm Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:46:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nathan http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-40576 Nathan Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:20:38 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-40576 Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas production uses TREMENDOUS amounts of fresh water, that is combined with proprietary chemical mixes and unfit for any other uses afterward. I'm sure there are many other aspects of modern life where this also is true - water is treated as a one-time use resource. Additionally, most of the fresh water on Earth is frozen. We have a small amount available to us and we do not use it wisely. Love the blog! Great info, not preachy. I'll be back! Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas production uses TREMENDOUS amounts of fresh water, that is combined with proprietary chemical mixes and unfit for any other uses afterward. I’m sure there are many other aspects of modern life where this also is true – water is treated as a one-time use resource. Additionally, most of the fresh water on Earth is frozen. We have a small amount available to us and we do not use it wisely.

Love the blog! Great info, not preachy. I’ll be back!

]]> By: Jason http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-5323 Jason Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:03:56 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-5323 Excellent explanation, Jeremy. And with us moving to Texas in the near future, your comments are even more applicable to our situation. Thanks for sharing! Excellent explanation, Jeremy. And with us moving to Texas in the near future, your comments are even more applicable to our situation. Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-5309 Jeremy Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:36:10 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-5309 Here is my perspective on harvesting rain- based on several years of collecting data and designing a variety of rainwater systems. It is true that rainwater, if not collected, would otherwise end up back in the water supply if your city's water supply is coming from an impounded lake. However, the water that is shed during heavy rain events is the type of water that gives most city managers headaches- storm water. Storm water is laden with chemicals from lawns, petrochemicals from roadways and silt from farms and fields. Most of this water is channeled straight into nearby waterways and is what causes flooding, stream erosion and eventually lake pollution. Given the option, it would be better environmentally to keep this water out of our rivers and lakes and hold it on site where it can be released slowly through irrigation, rain gardens and gray water recycling systems. Economically, the result of collecting rainwater is even more dramatic. Not only is storm water management a very expensive challenge for cities, but water purification and pumping is a major expense. Think about the fact that only 1% of the water that is treated to drinking water standards at your local water treatment plant is ever consumed by people. The rest is used to flush toilets, wash clothes and dishes, and irrigate landscapes. The power required to pump water over long distances through inefficient piping systems (where up to 50% is lost due to leaks) is one of the most power intensive services that states and cities provide. In California, the State Water Project is the largest single user of energy. It consumes an average of 5 billion kWh/yr, accounting for about 2 to 3 percent of all electricity consumed in California. (EPA 2009) Possibly the most underestimated value of rainwater- the one that is farthest from sight and mind- is water purity. While many will contend that rainwater can collect chemicals from roofing materials, acid rain, or from bird droppings, recent studies show that the levels of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, that are compounding in our public water supplies are dangerously high and ARE NOT being filtered out of our water before it is piped back to residents to consume. Sooner or later the EPA is going to step in and determine that these levels are too high to safely consume and will mandate that cities apply advanced filtration processes to clean up these chemicals, which will in turn dramatically raise the price of treated water. Remember, cities treat all water that is sent to residents, whether it is drinking water or not. When this happens, rainwater systems will be much more common and the payoff will make sense for many people. This is a growing industry that will be the norm in 10 years- and even sooner in places like Tucson, Santa Fe, Dallas and San Antonio. Here is my perspective on harvesting rain- based on several years of collecting data and designing a variety of rainwater systems. It is true that rainwater, if not collected, would otherwise end up back in the water supply if your city’s water supply is coming from an impounded lake. However, the water that is shed during heavy rain events is the type of water that gives most city managers headaches- storm water. Storm water is laden with chemicals from lawns, petrochemicals from roadways and silt from farms and fields. Most of this water is channeled straight into nearby waterways and is what causes flooding, stream erosion and eventually lake pollution. Given the option, it would be better environmentally to keep this water out of our rivers and lakes and hold it on site where it can be released slowly through irrigation, rain gardens and gray water recycling systems.

Economically, the result of collecting rainwater is even more dramatic. Not only is storm water management a very expensive challenge for cities, but water purification and pumping is a major expense. Think about the fact that only 1% of the water that is treated to drinking water standards at your local water treatment plant is ever consumed by people. The rest is used to flush toilets, wash clothes and dishes, and irrigate landscapes. The power required to pump water over long distances through inefficient piping systems (where up to 50% is lost due to leaks) is one of the most power intensive services that states and cities provide. In California, the State Water Project is the largest single user of energy. It consumes an average of 5 billion kWh/yr, accounting for about 2 to 3 percent of all electricity consumed in California. (EPA 2009)

Possibly the most underestimated value of rainwater- the one that is farthest from sight and mind- is water purity. While many will contend that rainwater can collect chemicals from roofing materials, acid rain, or from bird droppings, recent studies show that the levels of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, that are compounding in our public water supplies are dangerously high and ARE NOT being filtered out of our water before it is piped back to residents to consume. Sooner or later the EPA is going to step in and determine that these levels are too high to safely consume and will mandate that cities apply advanced filtration processes to clean up these chemicals, which will in turn dramatically raise the price of treated water. Remember, cities treat all water that is sent to residents, whether it is drinking water or not. When this happens, rainwater systems will be much more common and the payoff will make sense for many people. This is a growing industry that will be the norm in 10 years- and even sooner in places like Tucson, Santa Fe, Dallas and San Antonio.

]]> By: Rainwater Harvesting for Your Entire Home Pt. 1 | The Constant Craftsman http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-5097 Rainwater Harvesting for Your Entire Home Pt. 1 | The Constant Craftsman Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:12:26 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-5097 [...] on Montpillard.com, I got to thinking about the topic again in a much larger capacity than my two previous articles on the subject. I started thinking that a rainbarrel sounds pretty wussy-like. I mean, if [...] [...] on Montpillard.com, I got to thinking about the topic again in a much larger capacity than my two previous articles on the subject. I started thinking that a rainbarrel sounds pretty wussy-like. I mean, if [...]

]]> By: Corey http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-156 Corey Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:26:26 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-156 Cool! Will be interesting to see if there is a point where the rain barrels are worth putting in, or what real benefit they offer. I haven't done the heavy research on it. :) Cool! Will be interesting to see if there is a point where the rain barrels are worth putting in, or what real benefit they offer. I haven’t done the heavy research on it. :)

]]> By: thecraftsman http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-155 thecraftsman Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:35:37 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-155 Excellent comments, Corey. My response is coming... Excellent comments, Corey. My response is coming…

]]> By: Corey http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-154 Corey Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:29:04 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-154 One thing I've never understood is that the reports always talk about how much water is "wasted", but in the end doesn't all this water end up back in the water supply? I can understand collecting rain in arid regions to save money, or to save money on watering your lawn, but what is the real environmental advantage if you use a small pump to move water from your barrel or if you use the city's pressurized water line? I apologize for being the contrarian, but I'm just a bit confused about this rainbarrel issue... Maybe I just need to see the numbers or some report about what effect this has on the environment. To me it just seems like harvesting water to use for your own yard anyways, the only difference being you're not paying for the water or using the energy it takes to purify and get the water to you. One thing I’ve never understood is that the reports always talk about how much water is “wasted”, but in the end doesn’t all this water end up back in the water supply? I can understand collecting rain in arid regions to save money, or to save money on watering your lawn, but what is the real environmental advantage if you use a small pump to move water from your barrel or if you use the city’s pressurized water line?

I apologize for being the contrarian, but I’m just a bit confused about this rainbarrel issue… Maybe I just need to see the numbers or some report about what effect this has on the environment. To me it just seems like harvesting water to use for your own yard anyways, the only difference being you’re not paying for the water or using the energy it takes to purify and get the water to you.

]]> By: Pages tagged "constant" http://www.constantcraftsman.com/on-the-homestead/water-conservation/right-as-rain-why-harvesting-rain-is-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-153 Pages tagged "constant" Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:10:46 +0000 http://www.constantcraftsman.com/?p=206#comment-153 [...] tagged constantOwn a Wordpress blog? Make monetization easier with the WP Affiliate Pro plugin. Right as Rain: Why Harvesting Rain Is The Right Th... saved by 5 others     MrsAtomicUs5000 bookmarked on 06/11/08 | [...] [...] tagged constantOwn a WordPress blog? Make monetization easier with the WP Affiliate Pro plugin. Right as Rain: Why Harvesting Rain Is The Right Th… saved by 5 others     MrsAtomicUs5000 bookmarked on 06/11/08 | [...]

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