Collecting Rainwater Could Equal Thousands of Gallons of Water Each Year for Free

Rain. It comes from built up condensation in the air, that then falls to the ground as precipitation. It is a vital life giving (and saving) resource that we all rely on.
Rain water has been caught and stored for centuries in rural and indigenous locales. In the Middle East, they have used a system for catching water called, 'wadi' system. this catches flowing water and diverts it to needed areas.

In this trend of 'green' building we find many forms of construction that work towards using less resources, less chemicals, and during construction create less pollutants. Rain water catchment systems are part of Green Building that should be explored by anyone building or owning a home. It can be a vital part of landscaping, household usage, and so on.

The newer version of rain water catchment systems work with several basic principles. They all try to maximize the effects of gravity and propulsion. A basic rainwater catchment system is based on collection of rainwater and gravity flow pressure principles. Gravity does the work, but you can install pumps that will speed up the process. The house is constructed basically the same way, indoor plumbing is the same with either type of water system.

You can easily repair or maintain water catchment systems because there are few parts and the holding tanks can be either buried or above ground. You can add tanks on as you go, to determine what amount of water you need/can catch naturally. Anyone can build a catchment system that is affordable and easy to maintain.
There are many advantages to collecting rain water. In dry climates, where rain is irregular it is an excellent resource for household and agricultural uses. In wet climates, it is also advantageous, you can collect all the water your family or farm needs, by diverting water runoff into holding tanks, for use whenever it is needed. You are free from drinking 'treated' water from public water plants. It is a source of water where wells are too far down to drill. The list is virtually endless. Why aren't we all doing this?

There are many resources with information on how to easily and cheaply construct a water catchment system. Books, videos, websites are plentiful on the subject. It's important to learn about this alternative, because in the future, water will become more and more expensive. As we pollute our rivers, streams, and lakes that run into the aquifer(water table) we will find it harder and harder to find safe, clean drinking water.

Advantages of rain water collection:

Easy to reconfigure, expand, or in some cases, relocate.
Water is still available if you have no power.
Water pumps can run off solar or 12 volt systems.
Repairs are easy.
Clean water that has not been treated by chemicals.
The water chemistry is easy to manage.
Can be sized to any need and easily added on to.
Easily integrated into new construction easily.
Relatively easy for owner/builder to install.
Excellent back up system to regular water systems in house.

Disadvantages of rain water collection:

May not be permitted in certain building zones, due to ordinances and building codes.
You will need to clean holding tanks, eventually.
Gutters require maintenance and cleaning.
Above ground holding tanks take up space and may appear unsightly to you or your neighbors.

It is important for everyone to think about the water we consume and how much we are consuming on a daily basis. If we can change some of our habits, perhaps, we can extend our natural fresh water resources a bit longer. When we use alternative methods to drilling, we see that every surface has the potential to collect water that is naturally falling.