If you were to really think about it, what is the one thing you and your household can’t live without even for just a single day? You can probably function for a short while without electricity (who said you can’t make candlelit dinners a thing?).
You can probably live on canned goods for a few days while you can’t make a trip to your local market just yet. But living without access to water for just a single day, wherein you can’t bathe or shower regularly or even drink and use water to cook your meals? That will be truly uncomfortable.
But there will be times when difficulties will arise and water shortages in your community will occur. When that happens, you have to be prepared.
By practicing rainwater harvesting, you can ready yourself for the inevitable, and your family won’t have to suffer the extreme discomfort of not having water to use in their daily activities and chores. Rain is an essential resource that nature provides us for free, and it’s time that we start learning how to take advantage of it.
So what is rainwater harvesting?
It is the process of gathering rain either directly from the atmosphere or from surfaces on which rain falls, like rooftops and the like. It is gathered and stored using containers provided by suppliers like Rain Water Tanks, and then it is filtered for use.
There are many practical benefits of collecting rainwater. Let’s take a look at some of them:
It can provide your household with a backup supply of water.
We’ve grown to be so dependent on our local water supply systems that the idea of not having access to them is difficult to comprehend. But there will be times when the worst can happen. For instance, your water company could have scheduled some major repairs and maintenance around your area. Or there could be a season of drought in your community. Installing a rainwater harvesting system is the best way to enjoy an uninterrupted water supply in case any of the above unfortunate incidents occur.
It will benefit the environment in a big way.
All over the world, households and business establishments consume an astronomical quantity of water. This forces local companies to artificially pump water from rivers and lakes, which in turn causes these water forms to dry up. With rainwater harvesting, you will greatly reduce the demand for water and help ease the pressure being put on our rivers and lakes by a great deal. Another environmental benefit of this practice is that it will also ease the load put on our drainage systems and minimize the risks of flooding caused by stormwater runoff.
The system itself is easy to maintain.
Apart from getting a filtration system installed and scheduling the regular cleaning schedule of the tank, you won’t have to do anything much to maintain your rainwater harvesting system. Aside from being cost-effective and providing your household with clean water, it will also reduce your community’s dependence on wells.
It can reduce the risk of erosion and flooding.
One advantage that collecting rainwater can bring about is that it reduces the risk of soil erosion. By capturing rainwater, you can reduce the flow of storm water runoff, which is often the cause of urban flooding. If the rainwater in a downpour is not collected efficiently, it can result in soil erosion incidents and even flooding around your house and even in your community.
It does not require you to spend much.
Installing a rainwater collection system won’t break the bank. You’ll just need to purchase the tanks and arrange for a one-time installation and that’s it. Any maintenance you’ll need to do is just a regular cleaning of the tanks. All that initial expense is worth it when you consider the great savings you’ll gain each month. Imagine the feeling when you receive your water bill each month and find out you’ve reduced around 50 to 60 percent of your usual consumption? Amazing, right?
Now that you know the benefits of harvesting rainwater, it’s time you learn about its uses too:
- You can use it for common household chores like doing the laundry and washing the dishes. You can even use it when flushing the toilet and when bathing and showering. As you may already know, these daily activities make up a large part of our indoor water use, and by opting to use rainwater, you can already cut your consumption—and your bill—by a great deal.
- You can use it to water your lawn and garden. Have you noticed how plants always seem to look so green and healthy just after a downpour? That is because rain is the best kind of water for plants—they’re free of harsh chemicals like chlorine and fluoride that municipal water is often infused with and that can often deter growth.
Thousands of households around the world are already benefiting from the practice of rainwater harvesting, and your family could be the next one. Why not start today?
