Posted on 02/11/2012 2:52:42 PM PST by orsonwb
In the first installment of this two part series, we examine the factors that are influencing how individuals, major corporations, and other countries, are rethinking the most basic, yet vital resource all, water. In part two, we take a detailed look at an increasingly popular alternative to the municipal water system, Rainwater Harvesting. Part two further explores the pros and cons, basic components, and key factors to consider in designing a rain water harvesting system...
(Excerpt) Read more at howdogardener.com ...
I’m a greedy Michigan water baron.
This is completely wrong in the US. It has always been private, except for navigable rivers. Also, there is no mention of the legality of collecting rainwater. In many states this is not legal.
And someday harvesting oxygen will not be legal without paying the associated fee.
I thought that I was in good shape for doomsday regarding water, but yea, that 7-month drought would have wiped me out. I have 5 different ways to filter water, the ability to store hundreds of gallons, the ability to collect huge amounts of roof run-off...but still - 7 months without rain, not a prayer - that’s 150 gallons per person, just for drinking. I was nowhere close to that. Hopefully we don’t get hit that hard when it really happens.
That is true in Colorado, I don’t know about other states.
Part two of the article mentions “Although largely unregulated for private residential usage, there are some state and local municipalities that have enacted legislation regarding RWH.”
I’m pretty sure Colorado does not allow rain water harvesting.
Garden (and other use) Rain Water PING!
I know that if they ever got their way the global marxists would evacuate or otherwise “remove” people from vast swathes of the continent.Despite all the water we have in Michigan, its a constant fight with them coming at us from every direction in their attempt to separate us from the water.
I looked outside one day and saw two clowns measuring the distance between my well and the lake. They were with a group that wants to monitor my well and put a meter on it. I told them that they were trespassing and next time I wouldn’t be so friendly. I did some digging into the group they belonged to and found that they want 100 yard buffer zones between all natural water and human habitation. If done, it would effectively render the whole state off limits.
Where I live you have to get a permit for putting a rain barrel under your downspout. Probably because rainwater is so scarce around these parts - Western Washington!
And that's the day that I'll be distributing copper and lead, for free.
/johnny
“Part two of the article mentions “Although largely unregulated for private residential usage, there are some state and local municipalities that have enacted legislation regarding RWH.” I’m pretty sure Colorado does not allow rain water harvesting.”
I heard that a while ago. In a case like that, you need to divert your water indoors or underground, if possible, so that the nannies will not see it. Pumping water from an underground tank requires very little energy (and dollars) relative to the cost of utility water...something like 1% of the cost.
Me too. It won't be too long before the EPA determines that my high and dry 40 acre maple forest is actually wetlands.
I’m buying freeze dried water. It costs more but the cans are very light, have a long shelf life and store well:)
The gutters and downspouts are a natural collecting system I already have in place, just like most people. Instead of dumping that water on the ground it could be collected in a barrel. Or a bunch of them, one for each downspout.
I was just cleaning out a used water heater the other day. A typical 40 gallon tank measuring about 20" diameter and 5 ft tall. When I was happy with my "pressure test" I removed the plug to let her drain. It's a 3/4"NPT hole (the actual female threaded hole measures about 7/8" diameter) the water shot out in about a 1" stream and landed oh about 10 - 12 feet away from the tank. Keep in mind the drain hole is only 6-8" above the ground.
Just harnessing the potential energy of releasing that water when, where, and how you want to has value. If you can drink it or have your plants drink it, that's even better.
Down here in Jackson they tax the square footage on parking lots due to the rainwater not going into the ground. The EPA got the city on their side by telling the city that they could keep the revenue to do with it as they wish.
The county is suing the city now because the county is being taxed by the city due to a couple of county owned parking lots.
Water rights are constantly under threat. The western states take it very, very, very, very, seriously. In the Rocky Mountain states, the only water available is what falls on it, either today or in the past. Water rights are usually assigned and transferred with the land , and so they are part of the real estate. This is also the only real way water rights can be protected from thieves in government and environmentalists. The constitution still requires compensation for eminent domain taking of land, and the government would have to compensate landowners for taking their water rights.
For now.
There have already been plans bubbling up in the Obama administration to "reform" water rights and to transfer water rights to the people that "need it". This must be fought hard and people must be educated as well, because not enough people understand the massive private property grab that would occur.
The state of Washington believes that water falling from the sky belongs to the state.
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