Rainwater harvesting is an alternative water supply and conservation approach that anyone can use. 

A rainwater collection and storage system can be as simple as capturing rain in a barrel for gardening or complex enough to include input from such professionals as architects, engineers, rainwater specialists, and even water treatment specialists for potable water.

Implementing rainwater harvesting techniques directly benefits our municipalities by reducing demand on the water supply, and our planet by reducing run-off, erosion, and contamination of surface water.

Catchment of rainwater for outdoor use is quite simple, However, even landscape water needs care to reduce the amount of debris that will clog systems, feed warm weather algae blooms in the tanks, and increase maintenance.

A rainwater harvesting system consists of 

• The supply  or available rainfall.

• The demand as water needed by plants.

• A system for collecting water.

• A system for moving it to the plants which can be as simple as using gravity or a complicated as using a pump to supply an irrigation system.

Simple systems distribute the rainwater immediately. Complex systems store some or all of the rainwater for later use.

Back to Rainwater Harvesting Index. 

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