Tips for setting up a home rainwater harvesting system.
Water is a precious resource, so why not treat it like one? Rainwater harvesting systems do just that by collecting H2O from the sky for use in backyard irrigation and more. For tips in tackling this eco-friendly endeavor, we chatted with Brandy M. Hall, founder and CEO of Shades of Green Permaculture, a regenerative landscape, design, build and education firm specializing in transforming conventional landscapes into beneficial ecosystems.
What are the benefits of rainwater harvesting systems?
Benefits include saving money and preserving the planet. Larger systems (300-plus gallons of storage with a pump) are useful to irrigate where there is sporadic rainfall during the growing season and ample roof runoff to feed the tanks. Rain-fed irrigation is great for large vegetable gardens or other areas that require irrigation. Smaller systems like rain barrels with no pump are more useful for more compact areas, such as potted plants, that need to be irrigated less frequently. It’s also beneficial for playing or washing feet and pets, which we do at our home.
Is there a particular kind of environment where rainwater harvesting systems work best?
It depends on what size irrigation area you are trying to cover when sizing a cistern. If you’re trying to irrigate a 4,000-square-foot lawn once a week using rainwater, you will need much more storage (which may not be cost-effective) than if you are trying to water 200 square feet of veggie beds once a week. In either case, we want to assume an eight- to 12-week “drought” in Atlanta and have enough storage to meet the needs of the square footage for roughly 1-inch per week.
What are the first steps to setting up such a system?
The first step is to figure out what size system the site requires. From there, identify where to place the cistern based on how the water flows in and through the landscape. For example, some sites call for the cistern to be placed farther from the house and slightly uphill, which can be achieved through gravity, using the principle of an “inverted siphon.” One reason this might be the best placement is because then you have the ability to route the overflow from the tank to more locations. Then tap downspouts and route them to the rainwater cistern before directing the overflow water to earthworks like rain gardens via underground pipes.
Do rainwater systems require regular maintenance?
Yes. If they have pumps, the sediment needs to be cleaned out of the tank every few years. If the feed line to the tank includes debris filters, those need to be cleaned regularly, especially during leaf season. If the tank utilizes an inverted siphon, the winter drain needs to be opened during the freezing months.
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