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Recently,
I was
watching an episode of House Hunters where a couple was
looking to buy a house in Hawaii. What I found to be
even more exciting than trying to guess which house they
would choose, was the fact that the properties all had
Rainwater Catchment Tanks (also known as rain catchment
systems) in their back yards. Come to find out, most of
Hawaii averages around 100 inches of rain each year.
That is just the average. Many parts of Hawaii receive
much more.
Rainwater
catchment
tanks and rain barrels are a simple way to conserve
water. You may be thinking “Why would I want that
monstrous tank in my yard? How about free water!
Catchment tanks and rain water barrels have been around
forever, but now that people are getting more
environmentally conscious, companies are now developing
many sleeker designs that come in many sizes and are
easily hidden with a bit of simple landscaping
imagination.
Some great examples are at
3R Living
and
Clever Bean.
While
rainwater may not always be safe to drink, it is usable
on so many other levels. Many people use rain water in
their showers and toilettes. Obviously, it makes for the
perfect system to water your yard, garden and house
plants (in between rainy days). If you live in an area that
gets decent rainfall, get one! No matter if you buy the
50 gallon rain collection barrel that costs a mere
$50.00 or go all out on a designer type larger barrel or even consider having a tank installed in the back
yard. The water you catch is free.
Rainwater catchment
tanks pay for themselves quickly and the environment is
all the better for having used them. You may even
qualify for rebates and tax deductions if you use one.
You may now be wondering if one would be effective where
you live. Well, consider that one good rain storm could
easily fill a 50-60 gallon rain collection barrel in
less than 60 minutes.
While
you may not have the space or need for a 200-300 gallon
rainwater harvesting tank in your back yard, consider the fact
that rain catchment systems come in many shapes and sizes out there.
Indeed, there
are a great variety of companies that are now providing
rain catchment tanks. Getting one should be
relatively easy.
