Utilizing Rainwater

[Stirling Olson]

The requirement for water has been increasing with the rise in the number of apartments and people. It has become very important to save water from rain to meet the increasing needs. Each Kochi apartment is now installing the rain water harvesting system.

Rain water can be harvested for two purposes i.e. storing rain water for ready use in containers above or below ground or charged into the soil for withdrawal later which is called groundwater recharging. Rain water can be harvested from rooftops. Buildings with impervious roofs are ideal catchment areas and are effectively available free of charge and they provide a supply at the point of consumption. Paved and unpaved areas like landscapes, open fields, parks, storm water drains, roads and pavements and other open areas can be easily used to harvest runoff water. Collecting water from ground is particularly advantageous in areas of low rainfall. Water bodies like lakes, tanks and ponds also store immense rainwater. The harvested rainwater also recharges groundwater aquifers. There is generally a proper network of storm water drains in most of the residential colonies. They offer a simple and cost effective means for harvesting rainwater if maintained neatly.

Whether to store the water or recharge water depends on the rainfall pattern and the potential to do it in a particular region. To make the decision the sub-surface geology is also taken into consideration. In places like Kerala which experiences water fall through out the year except a few months, one can depend on small sized tank for storing rainwater. Recharging is not feasible in areas where the sub-strata is impermeable. Water can be stored in places where the groundwater is saline or not of potable standards.

[tankie]

Wowwwwwwwwwww warra great idea

[bonehead]

Wowwwwwwwwwww warra great idea

Well. many municipalities forbid such practices. Why would a homeowner pay 70-100 bucks a month for "city water" when they could get it from above for free?

[omon]

ppl do that, nothing new, on HGTV was a programm on how to do it, from getting a tank into the ground, to piping and pumps, thou the main use is irrigation, not household use, thou i don't see why you can't use it for domestic needs, granted you filter it first.

[omon]

never mind

[gunnut]

I thought about this. Yes, the super un-green, un-environmental, un-caring, gunnut thought about *gasp* conservation....

I don't conserve because I care. I conserve because I'm cheap, and only if it makes economical sense.

How difficult (read...expensive) would it be to have a few large drums sitting in the yard collecting rain water during rainy season? A single stand-alone house could easily collect several hundred gallons of rain water for later use. This water could be used to water the plants or refill the swimming pool.

The pool loses a lot of water. I see my friend constantly refilling it with tap water. The pool nearly overflows during rainy seasons. A lot of natural water is lost as run-off rain water. Why not save this water and re-use it? If it's economically viable, of course.

[Tarek Morgen]

the bot has been banned, but the thread remains open for actual discussion on the topic.

[bonehead]

Forget rainwater. Piss on the bot.

[Albany Rifles]

We use 2 50 gallon plastic barrels under out drain spouts with mosquito screens and use it to water our gardens. I have a deep well but no reason not to use the runoff. I also have water purifier in my camping gear I could always use to utilize this stuff as a back up emergency water supply.

[Doktor]

[USSWisconsin]

I used to live in Chippewa Falls - they had some very good water there (used it to brew beer - just like Lienkugels, though Lienies had their own spring well), it was amusing to see my coworkers buying it in bottles at a premium price - I got mine from the tap - same stuff (the city had spring wells too)... I believe the bottling plant had a nice new 12" water main - city water - thats where it comes from...

[gunnut]

I never buy bottled water. I grab them from work.

I drink tap water if I really want to drink water.

I have a question. Is the US the only nation to have nation-wide drinkable tap water? I don't drink water so I don't know what other countries do. I know for a fact that we are cautioned not to drink water (unless boiled) in places like Mexico and India.

[YellowFever]

I never buy bottled water. I grab them from work.

I drink tap water if I really want to drink water.

I have a question. Is the US the only nation to have nation-wide drinkable tap water? I don't drink water so I don't know what other countries do. I know for a fact that we are cautioned not to drink water (unless boiled) in places like Mexico and India.

[gunnut]

I only drink water when I play hockey or the occassional instinct that kicks in to prevent the body from dehydration. Normally I drink coffee, coke, tea, juice, and lemonade. And it has to be Coca Cola. I do not drink Pepsi. I'd rather drink water.

[YellowFever]

I only drink water when I play hockey or the occassional instinct that kicks in to prevent the body from dehydration. Normally I drink coffee, coke, tea, juice, and lemonade. And it has to be Coca Cola. I do not drink Pepsi. I'd rather drink water.