EARTHKEEPING NEWS A NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COALITION FOR CHRISTIANITY AND ECOLOGY Volume Thirteen, Number Two Spring 2004 RAIN WATER CATCHMENT AND STORAGE By Nancy Grow, editor Last year, we in South Georgia were surprised and “drowned” by an over-abundance of rain water that left our vegetable gardens unproductive. We are more familiar with not having enough rain and being limited in the use of irrigation of every kind. We don't know what this year will bring, but we do know our water supply is generally overstretched to the extent that we may be in serious trouble before long. Not too long ago, every house had a rain barrel to catch and preserve the flow from the roof. Today, rain-water catchment systems are designed to be constructed by anyone. Advisors say (and one of you sent on this information without any word of where it came from): This building is designed with a coated metal roof and gutter system that transports rain and snow melt to the ends of the building passing through a funnel which filters large debris and directs the water into two cisterns. These cisterns have a capacity to store 5,000 gallons of water each. (More cistern space may be added if necessary.) The cisterns are buried in the earth barmy [sic] maintaining stable temperature and away from sunlight therefore reducing the growth of algae. The article did not go on to state how the water would be regained for gardening purposes. Presumably some sort of pump and spray would be usable. Home     Table of Contents