Rain Barrel

Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with softeners that actually inhibit plant growth. And, reports Davis, the lack of minerals in rainwater actually makes it more effective than tap water for shampooing or doing dishes. Using rainwater for plumbing uses can also extend the life of pipes and water heaters, since the salts added to tap water facilitate corrosion. Homeowners should set up a water purification system if they do plan to use rainwater for interior needs.

Beyond the benefits to individual homeowners, rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding and pollution runoff associated with heavy rainfall, and lessens reliance on public water supplies, alleviating some of the burden on utilities. Given these benefits, some states, including even drought-prone Texas, subsidize residential rainwater collection systems.

Many varieties of rain barrel systems, starting at just $100, are available for home installation. A typical set-up is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. “The barrel is typically fitted with a spigot at its base to fill a watering can or attach a soaker hose (which bleeds out water all along its length, providing effortless drip irrigation), and a filter or screen at its top to prevent a buildup of leaves and other debris,” writes Davis. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a single 100 gallon rain barrel can save up to 1,300 gallons of utility-provided water during the high demand summer months.

Handy homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one pre-made is a lot easier. Most nurseries and garden centers offer a range of choices (as well as advice), but websites such as Aquabarrel, Clean Air Gardening and Rainxchange make it easy to order a system online.

This Old House Harvesting the Water With Rain Barrels is a good place to look for more ideas on collecting rain water in barrels. Sorry I could not get my link to work properly to link to This old House website. You will need to do a google search for collecting rain water to find the proper link.

Alternet Rain water Harvesting is another good site for rain water collecting information.

An Introduction to Rainwater Harvesting has more information than most of us care to read about, still it is a good source for rain water collecting information.

You may also find this of interest a Do It YourSelf Rainwater Drip Irrigation System

Recycling Gray Water That is water from your sinks and tub or shower, Not Toliet water, works well for watering your lawn, trees, shurbs and non-eatable flowering and fruit producing plants.

John W. Jett Horticulture Specialist WVU Extension Service 9/08

Recycling waste water can stretch your water budget during the hot summer months. Gray water, which is recycled shower, bath, and laundry water, can be used to keep thirsty plants alive, but some precautions should be followed. Because gray water has not been disinfected, it could be contaminated. A careful, commonsense approach to the use of gray water, however, can virtually eliminate any potential hazard.

The following precautions are recommended:
1. Never use gray water for direct consumption.
2. Gray water should not be used directly on anything that may be eaten.
3. Gray water should not be sprayed, allowed to puddle, or run off property.
4. Use only water from clothes washing, bathing or the bathroom sink. Do not use water that has come in contact with soiled diapers, meat or poultry, or anyone with an infectious disease.

Plant specialists warn that gray water should not be used on vegetables, seedlings, container plants or acid-loving plants such as azaleas, begonias, and rhododendrons. Gray water should be rotated with fresh water to leach out any harmful build-up. Chlorine bleach may damage plants, especially if it touches the foliage. Biodegradable soaps appear to have the least harmful effects.

The following companies offer greywater systems, components, kits, and plans:
Bismart Distributing,(888) 663-4950
envirosink.com; Clivus Multrum, (800) 425-4887
clivusmultrum.com; NutriCycle Systems, (301) 371-9172
nutricyclesystems.com; Oasis Design, (805) 967-9956
oasisdesign.net: and Rewater, (619) 421-9121
rewater.com
WVU Extension Service website

NPR - Recycling 'Gray Water' Cheaply, Safely June 8, 2009

A severe drought out West continues to threaten farms, fish, and water supplies to nearly everyone. Tighter water restrictions went into effect this month in much of Southern California, and the federal government issued a directive last week that could cut water delivery to farmers and residents in the state by 7 percent. Some believe California is missing out on a key conservation method that's already available.

Susan Carpenter breaks California state plumbing code three times a week. Her accomplice is her washing machine. Rinse water from washing machines usually goes into the sewer — so what if you could recycle it? That's what Carpenter does, using it to water plants at her Southern California home. "The washing machine is filling up with water, and it is going through its normal process of washing clothes," she says. "And after about eight minutes, you'll start to hear it spin and we will run outside and see it squirting through the tubes."

The "it" is gray water, which looks like its name — a bit gray, a bit cloudy. After all, it's the wastewater from bathtubs, sinks and washers. The gray water lapping up Carpenter's dirty clothes will soon be lapped up by her passion fruit trees — and no, the fruit won't taste like Tide. She uses a special type of detergent that doesn't contain salt or boron, compounds which dehydrate plants.

So how does Carpenter's system work? She's hooked up a valve that drains the water outside to a garden. Roughly one million residents in California use a similar type of gray water contraption. Some of them have been trained by Laura Allen, the co-founder of Gray Water Guerillas in Oakland.

Back at Carpenter's house, the soapy water from the spin cycle has traveled through a PVC pipe and is shooting out of a black tube outside. Carpenter points out that it's sort of like cannibalism, "like whatever is you that is left gets eaten up by these microorganisms." That could be the sign of what's to come as others in the West learn to grapple with new ways to use less water.

What about soaps and detergents? Are they harmful to the soil and plants?
Soaps and detergents are biodegradable, but they can present problems when gray water is used over an extended period. The main problem with most cleaning agents is that they contain sodium salts which, if present in excessive amounts, can damage the soil structure, can create an alkaline condition, and can also damage plants.

Avoid detergents that advertise "softening power," because they will have a large proportion of sodium-based compounds. The phosphates in detergents can be good for plant growth, but unfortunately, the detergents highest in phosphates usually contain the greatest amount of sodium. If you re-use washing machine water, cut down or eliminate the amount of bleach you use and do not use detergents or additives that contain boron, which is especially toxic to plants.

When doing your household cleaning, use ammonia, or products that contain ammonia, instead of chlorine as the cleaning agent.

What precautions can I take to protect the soil from damage when I use gray water over a long period of time?

As mentioned earlier, a great danger in using gray water is the build-up of sodium in the soil. You can discover if the sodium levels are high by having the pH of your soil tested. A pH of 7.5 or above indicates that your soil has become loaded with sodium. You can correct or avoid this problem by spreading gypsum (calcium sulfate) over the soil at a rate of two pounds per 100 square feet about once a month. Rainfall, or rotating gray water applications with fresh water, will help leach the soil of sodium and excess salts.

Recycled water from the bath, shower, or washing machine could contain organisms causing diseases in humans. However, when gray water is poured onto soil that has an abundance of organic matter, the potentially harmful bacteria and viruses die quickly. If any should survive, it is unlikely that they would be taken up by the roots of garden plants and transferred to the edible portion of food plants. Nevertheless, for safety, you could use gray water to irrigate lawns, non-fruting trees and ornamental plants only.