Rain Water Recycling

It is easy to think about harvesting your rainwater on a day like today.  Why let all that storm-water runoff  confound an already overwhelmed and outdated sewer system.  Collect, store and use that rainwater for your garden!  Your plants and the planet will love you for it.

Sometimes, during heavy rain and snow storms, combined sewers receive higher than normal flows. Treatment plants are unable to handle flows that are more than twice design capacity and when this occurs, a mix of excess storm water and untreated waste water discharges directly into the City’s waterways at certain outfalls. This is called a combined sewer overflow (CSO). We are concerned about CSOs because of their effect on water quality and recreational uses.   Do your part; use a rain-barrel or rainwater collection system.  

At Nature's Cradle we can capture up to 7000 gallons of rain water per rain event.  Of course we have loads more plants to water than you all, but even if you capture 50 or 100 gallons it will help.  And your flowers and will smile wonderful blooms in thanks for that sweet natural rain water.

 Benefits of Using a Rain Barrel

• Saves money. Some households devote almost 40% of their summer water consumption to irrigation needs. Using stored rainwater to water your lawn or garden can reduce your household water usage, which may help save you money on your water bill.
• Improves harbor water quality. By diverting stormwater from the sewer system during rainy days, a rain barrel decreases stormwater run-off which carries pollutants from paved surfaces into groundwater and rivers.
• Keeps your plants healthy. Plants prefer non-chlorinated organic rainwater—it is one of the best ways to keep your garden or lawn healthy all summer long.
• Free car washes. Use stored rainwater to keep your car clean at no cost.
• Eco-friendly and sustainable. Capturing and using your own rainwater is an easy step towards sustainability, lowers your carbon foot print, and teaches conservation. 

Many communities in the United States face serious threats to a safe,steady supply of water. These include a longstanding reliance on centralized water delivery systems that results in urban areas and agencies largely overlooking opportunities to integrate alternate local sources of water to meet their water supply needs; the unnecessary use of potable water for non-potable uses, such as outdoor landscape irrigation and indoor
toilet flushing; climate change; and continually increasing areas of impervious surfaces in our landscape that result in storm water runoff carrying pollution to our rivers, lakes, and beaches. Although the problems of water supply and water pollution can be complex, practical solutions for both are available now, such as
capturing and using rainwater from rooftops. Rooftop rainwater capture is a simple, cost-effective approach for supplying water that promotes sustainable water management. By using rainwater rather than allowing it to run off of paved surfaces to pick up pollutants and carry them to nearby surface waters. The practice provides numerous benefits: an Inexpensive, on-site supply of water that can be used for outdoor non-potable uses with little, if any, treatment, or for a variety of additional uses including potable supply with appropriately higher levels of treatment. Reduced (or no) energy and economic costs associated with treating and delivering potable water to end users because capture systems often use low-volume, non-pressurized, gravity fed systems or require only the use of a low power pump for supply. Reduced strain on existing water supply sources. Reduced runoff that would otherwise contribute to storm water
flows, a leading cause of surface water pollution and urban flooding

Water quality and its potential impact on human health is a consideration when using rooftop rainwater
capture. While rooftop runoff may contain pollutants, these pollutants are generally found in significantly lower concentrations and without many of the toxic contaminants that may be picked up by the rooftop runoff after it mobilizes off-site and flows over other impervious surfaces such as streets and parking lots. Overall, limiting rainwater use to non-potable applications such as toilet or urinal flushing, or hose bibs (or wall spigots) for irrigation water “presents little human health risk,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  With proper care, rooftop rainwater capture can be a useful part of a holistic 21st Century water policy.

http://www.nrdc.org/water/files/rooftoprainwatercapture.pdf

Please follow the above link to read the full article from the National Resources Defense Council for a more complete explanation of the need for rainwater recycling.