My rainwater harvesting project

I discussed in another thread last year about it. Now, last month, I improvised on it and made it pukka by replacing the plastic tank with brick and cement. The capacity is about 2,500 litres. Notice the pipes that carry the water from two sources. It comes down into the 'first flush' where there is a valve made using reducing collars and a 500ml pet bottle that acts as a valve. Once the dirt carried by the first flow of water fills up the container at the bottom, the valve stops it and all the subsequent flow will be diverted to the filter can kept on top of the tank. The filter contains gravel of two sizes - the bigger is at the bottom. I have layered by 6 inches of sand and covered it by a 2-inch sponge. There is a gap of about 8 inches on top to allow water to fill up and percolate. The water when it first enters the downspout, is filtered by a 'conical mesh filter' that keeps all the leaves and small twigs out. It's working well, though when the inflow is too much, it overflows out of the filter -- outflow into the tank is slower than inflow. Some water is lost in heavy rains. But then, this overflow is allowed to seep into the soil outside the tank. I have made the ground level so that water should not flow like a stream. Importance of saving this water is increasingly creating awareness as the ground water resources are fast depleting due to paving the earth in all places. Last week's rain has this tank filled up to 15 inches. My younger d is in the picture. It faces east. I painted it white after I took this picture as the roll had to be finished. This was an important project for me and it cost me a bit, but I know it will be worth it. I'm using water for toilet flushing from another smaller tank that collects water from another downspout close to my old tank that I use for watering the garden. Now this one adds my resource of rainwater for my plants.

The creeper is the Passiflora foetida with red fruits, hollowish, containing a few seeds.

Dinu

15 inches in one week? Here, we are lucky to get 15 inches in one year! But then I live in a semi-arid place and most of our water comes from snowpack in the Rocky Mountains which feeds our groundwater. What a wonderful system you have! Harvesting rainwater is prohibited here. Because the water "belongs" to whoever owns the rights to the ground water. I don't understand how someone can "own" rainwater. Although many people harvest it anyway. We grow a lot of plants that have low water needs.

Mobi,
15 inches is the measure of my tank and not the standard used to measure rainfall. The inflow is from an area approx. 40x20ft of rooftop. The govt. is encouraging public to collect rainwater here considering the depleting natural resources like rivers and groundwater. Consumption has become more in recent decades. Also, the natural expected climate is not keeping its pattern and so defecient rains are being noticed in many places and indiscriminate boring of wells is another problem. All new construction of houses must have facility of harvesting rainwater, else, license will not be granted. This is the prevalent rule.

Our climate has changed also. Our temperatures are higher now than before. We actually changed to a different climate zone in the last 20 years. Our winters are not as cold and snowfall has been lower, which is what we depend on for water during the summer months. I think climates are changing all over the world. Greenhouse effect perhaps?

Yes indeed. Man is polluting Mother Earth to such an extent that other natural phenomena is getting altered, much the same way as when some junk food is eaten by humans physical symptoms manifest itself in a natural process of disagreement. This is on a micro scale and the other is on a macro scale. Both are not favourable. Each one of us must contribute to the cause, else doomsday is not far off. On the way to it, we will have hell of a lot of trouble that manifests indirectly. Change of climate is the first symptom. Look at the El Nino factor how it holds the balance. Cutting timber is another major hazard. Sand mining is yet another. Releasing gases into the atmosphere..... the list goes on and nothing is liked by Mother Nature. Snow caps that hold so much of ice/water is melting due to the greenhouse effect. Even in November or June, the sun scorches - this was not felt about 20 years or so ago. I can feel it. The sun's glare in summer here was not visible, but now, it glares. Where are we heading for?

Here's a link to one effect of this problem. An entire village has to move. I'm sure some islands in other part of the world will be covered with water as well.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=833434

Closer and recent picture of my filters.

Thank you for sharing this information.

I've been thinking about harvesting rainwater in the winter to use during the summer for my gardens, particularly the food producers. Last year we got 72"! In the hot, dry summers, fire is a concern, so I want to have a reserve "just in case." In the winter, we have storms that do knock out power, telephones, and last year, water.

We get no rain in the summer and temperatures are high (it's almost 100 degrees in the shade right now), however we do have the most incredible soil. I've planted several fruit trees and about 18 blueberry bushes, which require a lot of water. There is normally community irrigation to our house, but winter storms knocked it offline, so I didn't plant a vegetable garden, since I was planting shrubs this year that need a lot of water until established.

How can I estimate how much water I should try to save from winter rains to provide enough water for the full summer? Is there a "chart" to know how much water individual plants require in different climates?

When the water went out last winter, the first thing my husband worried about was flushing the toilet! (lol) I had 5 gallon buckets under the spouts already for dogwater, much to his relief. :-)

If it is feasible, drip irrigation may be useful esp. during water crisis. It prevents evoporation while it consumes less. So the plants get most of the water that goes to the soil, slowly.

I am not aware of any 'chart' that provides information you are seeking for. Maybe someone else knows about it.

Flushing toilet - I use the water that collects from the first filter. We do it in the absence of the cistern system. It is also economical. We do this whenever we get rain. Other seasons, we depend on water supply. I know of a house where it is directly connected to the collection system. It's a good idea.

I do use drip for the blueberries, Dinu, but for my fruit trees, which I'm watering now, I've made basins around them to water into. I water them individually and very thoroughly so that I can do it every two or three weeks. I think once they are well established, they'll do pretty well on their own with little water from me.

Things have changed since I posted here. Here is the latest view of my system. I'd posted an article also last year.