Anyone do this, in barrels?
Simple enough, in principle....
Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
house), etc.
I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
altogether, w/ a system like this.

'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....
--
------
Mr. P.V.'d (formerly Droll Troll), Yonkers, NY

Stop Corruption in Congress & Send the Ultimate Message:
Absolutely Vote, but NOT for a Democrat or a Republican.
Ending Corruption in Congress is the *Single Best Way*
to Materially Improve Your Family's Life.
The Solution is so simple--and inexpensive!

entropic3.14decay at optonline2.718 dot net; remove pi and e to reply--ie,
all d'numbuhs

In article , Proctologically Violated©® wrote:
Anyone do this, in barrels?
Simple enough, in principle....
Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
house), etc.
I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
altogether, w/ a system like this.

'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....

I could probably do that if I had a gutter system (don't currently)..

If you do go down that path make sure you setup that big $$ water purification
system to clean the crap that might be in your roof water. Don't just assume
you can start drinking it straight off.. It should be fine for watering the
plants, lawn, washing your dishes (I guess), taking showers with and whatnot,
but I wouldn't drink it without some sort of cleaning/filtering.

On Thu, 9 Nov 2006 15:21:49 -0500, "Proctologically Violated©®"
wrote:

Anyone do this, in barrels?
Simple enough, in principle....
Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
house), etc.
I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
altogether, w/ a system like this.

'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....

In this country(Australia) it is starting to become quite normal
practice for suburban houses to have anything up to 10,000 ltre (2000
gal)? rainwater tanks.I have two 5000 litre tanks. It is mostly used
for gardening but some systems are connected up to flush toilets or
was clothes. Few use them for drinking water althought it can be done
safely. Many rural properties rely entirely on tankwater.

Most systems include a diverter valve to send the first flush from the
roof to waste so that the tank does not get contaminated with leaves,
dust , bird droppings etc. You may also want to think about a fine
mesh covering on the tank to keep out mosquitos etc. , you don't want
to become the neighbourhood mosquito rangler.

Unless you are very lucky with your site layout you will probably need
some sort of pump to distribute the water. Often you can get away with
something cheap because you don't really need a lot of pressure.

The metric system makes it easy to work out the collection rates -
1mm of rain over 1 sq meter of roof delivers 1 litre of water. A quick
and not very good mental conversion would guesstimate 1/10th inch over
10sq feet should produce about 1/2 gallon. You' beter check that for
yourself.

Google on" rainwater tanks australia" there is lots of good
information.

probably cheaper and easier to drill a well.

rainwater has so many conaminents from heavy metals from pollution bird
drpping etc etc.

used for toilet flushing water lawn car washing and with a minimal
filter for clotrhes washing.

drinking requires too much work and often water companies have a
minimum blling. so conserving a lot mayt not save a lot

wrote:
probably cheaper and easier to drill a well.

rainwater has so many conaminents from heavy metals from pollution bird
drpping etc etc.

used for toilet flushing water lawn car washing and with a minimal
filter for clotrhes washing.

drinking requires too much work and often water companies have a
minimum blling. so conserving a lot mayt not save a lot


Depends on where you are.

Texas actively promotes rainwater collection as the PRIMARY water source
for residential customers, and tells us that purity is second only to RO
filtered water so long as we let the roof wash off before collecting and
so long as we use a PAINTED steel roof, or non-Terne coated stainless
steel roof, or a GalvAlume roof. Clay or concrete tile are also
acceptable roofs. Composition shingles are banned.

Most systems include a diverter valve to send the first flush from the
roof to waste so that the tank does not get contaminated with leaves,
dust , bird droppings etc. You may also want to think about a fine
mesh covering on the tank to keep out mosquitos etc. , you don't want
to become the neighbourhood mosquito rangler.

Isn't that why people keep fish in their rain-barrels?

On Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:33:10 -0500, Goedjn wrote:


Most systems include a diverter valve to send the first flush from the
roof to waste so that the tank does not get contaminated with leaves,
dust , bird droppings etc. You may also want to think about a fine
mesh covering on the tank to keep out mosquitos etc. , you don't want
to become the neighbourhood mosquito rangler.

Isn't that why people keep fish in their rain-barrels?


If you had fish in your rain tank you would need to plant some
greenery to control the fish waste. Then some snails to control the
greenery,frogs to control the snails and then perhaps some reptiles to
control the frogs. Hey, what do you know! We just invented the good
old fashioned swimming hole!

On Thu, 9 Nov 2006 15:21:49 -0500, "Proctologically Violated©®"
wrote:

:Anyone do this, in barrels?
:Simple enough, in principle....
:Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
:redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
:house), etc.
:I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
:altogether, w/ a system like this.
:
:'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
:NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
:Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....

I just last night watched a program I recorded (I think 10/21) off a PBS
station, Ask This Old House and they helped a woman install such a
system.

She had a large tree in her front yard that was drinking up most of the
water she'd apply to her garden and wondered if they could save her
water usage somehow. They got a rain barrel, which was sold by a guy who
salvages them. It has a spigot at the bottom. It was quite large. They
put it up on 3 big blocks that were leveled. They bought and installed a
special diverter that connects to the downspout. This senses when the
barrel is full and any more water is diverted to the usual place, away
from the foundation. It does this entirely low-tech - the water backs up
to the level of diversion when the barrel is full. It's entirely simple
and would be cheap. Of course, you could use multiple barrels or a large
tank if you wanted. They showed a system that filters out particles from
the runoff. I don't think you want to consider drinking water that runs
off your roof, certainly not without some kind of sophisticated
filtering system.

They had a trickle watering system connected to the barrel to irrigate
the woman's garden.

Dan

and would be cheap. Of course, you could use multiple barrels or a large
tank if you wanted. They showed a system that filters out particles from
the runoff. I don't think you want to consider drinking water that runs
off your roof, certainly not without some kind of sophisticated
filtering system.


The USDA used to recommend, as your "sophisticated" filtering system,
that you use a pipe in excess of 10' long, packed with sand.

That is, after all, more or less what the planet uses to filter your
well water.

Dan_Musicant wrote:
On Thu, 9 Nov 2006 15:21:49 -0500, "Proctologically Violated©®"
wrote:

:Anyone do this, in barrels?
:Simple enough, in principle....
:Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
:redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
:house), etc.
:I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
:altogether, w/ a system like this.
:
:'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
:NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
:Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....

I just last night watched a program I recorded (I think 10/21) off a PBS
station, Ask This Old House and they helped a woman install such a
system.

She had a large tree in her front yard that was drinking up most of the
water she'd apply to her garden and wondered if they could save her
water usage somehow. They got a rain barrel, which was sold by a guy who
salvages them. It has a spigot at the bottom. It was quite large. They
put it up on 3 big blocks that were leveled. They bought and installed a
special diverter that connects to the downspout. This senses when the
barrel is full and any more water is diverted to the usual place, away
from the foundation. It does this entirely low-tech - the water backs up
to the level of diversion when the barrel is full. It's entirely simple
and would be cheap. Of course, you could use multiple barrels or a large
tank if you wanted. They showed a system that filters out particles from
the runoff. I don't think you want to consider drinking water that runs
off your roof, certainly not without some kind of sophisticated
filtering system.

They had a trickle watering system connected to the barrel to irrigate
the woman's garden.

Dan

I saw that show. It was one of the more assinine things they have
done. A trickle water system attached to an unfiltered roof water
supply is the height of stupidity.

mike wrote:
Dan_Musicant wrote:

On Thu, 9 Nov 2006 15:21:49 -0500, "Proctologically Violated©®"
wrote:

:Anyone do this, in barrels?
:Simple enough, in principle....
:Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
:redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
:house), etc.
:I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
:altogether, w/ a system like this.
:
:'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
:NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
:Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....

I just last night watched a program I recorded (I think 10/21) off a PBS
station, Ask This Old House and they helped a woman install such a
system.

She had a large tree in her front yard that was drinking up most of the
water she'd apply to her garden and wondered if they could save her
water usage somehow. They got a rain barrel, which was sold by a guy who
salvages them. It has a spigot at the bottom. It was quite large. They
put it up on 3 big blocks that were leveled. They bought and installed a
special diverter that connects to the downspout. This senses when the
barrel is full and any more water is diverted to the usual place, away
from the foundation. It does this entirely low-tech - the water backs up
to the level of diversion when the barrel is full. It's entirely simple
and would be cheap. Of course, you could use multiple barrels or a large
tank if you wanted. They showed a system that filters out particles from
the runoff. I don't think you want to consider drinking water that runs
off your roof, certainly not without some kind of sophisticated
filtering system.

They had a trickle watering system connected to the barrel to irrigate
the woman's garden.

Dan


I saw that show. It was one of the more assinine things they have
done. A trickle water system attached to an unfiltered roof water
supply is the height of stupidity.


The PO of my house installed two large cisterns, of several hundred
gallons each, one in front of the house and one behind. I've been here
about a month and a half and they were empty when I moved in. I think
the one in front is full; I need to check tomorrow AM.

That said I wouldn't use cistern water for much but flushing toilets (if
you can make that work) and watering plants.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

In article ,
Nate Nagel wrote:
....

you can make that work) and watering plants.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Suppose he means:

replace "com" with (or by) "fly"

?

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in
message ...
Anyone do this, in barrels?
Simple enough, in principle....
Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
house), etc.
I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
altogether, w/ a system like this.

'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....
--
------
Mr. P.V.'d (formerly Droll Troll), Yonkers, NY

Stop Corruption in Congress & Send the Ultimate Message:
Absolutely Vote, but NOT for a Democrat or a Republican.
Ending Corruption in Congress is the *Single Best Way*
to Materially Improve Your Family's Life.
The Solution is so simple--and inexpensive!

entropic3.14decay at optonline2.718 dot net; remove pi and e to reply--ie,
all d'numbuhs

google harvest rainwater and you'll have about a half million hits to
research

all drinking water starts out as rainwater

much of the 3rd world drinks rainwater

rainwater doesn't have minerals in it like water filtered by the earth

catchment systems usually entail metal, wood, or plastic roofs

One way to solve the pump problem is to catch/store the water right at the
gutter--gravity will do most of the rest, ito distribution.
But there is no free lunch: How do you support hundreds, mebbe thousands of
gallons of water considerably overhead??
One could also do what they do in NYC for roof-top wood water tanks
(ostensibly for fires), and just pump the water overhead to a sep. storage
tank, higher up, and let gravity take care of the rest later.
I also wonder how electric costs of pumping, to use the water, compare w/
the costs of municipal water.
--
------
Mr. P.V.'d (formerly Droll Troll), Yonkers, NY

Stop Corruption in Congress & Send the Ultimate Message:
Absolutely Vote, but NOT for a Democrat or a Republican.
Ending Corruption in Congress is the *Single Best Way*
to Materially Improve Your Family's Life.
The Solution is so simple--and inexpensive!

entropic3.14decay at optonline2.718 dot net; remove pi and e to reply--ie,
all d'numbuhs

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in
message ...
Anyone do this, in barrels?
Simple enough, in principle....
Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
house), etc.
I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
altogether, w/ a system like this.

'Course, if I did install it, and disconnected my water meter, you can bet
NY would have the longest goddamm drought in recorded history.
Like the snow we're gonna get.... cuz my snow blower is broken....
--
------
Mr. P.V.'d (formerly Droll Troll), Yonkers, NY

Stop Corruption in Congress & Send the Ultimate Message:
Absolutely Vote, but NOT for a Democrat or a Republican.
Ending Corruption in Congress is the *Single Best Way*
to Materially Improve Your Family's Life.
The Solution is so simple--and inexpensive!

entropic3.14decay at optonline2.718 dot net; remove pi and e to reply--ie,
all d'numbuhs

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in
message ...
Anyone do this, in barrels?
Simple enough, in principle....
Just wondering about tricks, logistics, using gravity vs. pumps to
redistribute the water, how you use it (lawn only, or bring inside the
house), etc.
I have 10 downspouts, and could conceivably remove my water meter
altogether, w/ a system like this.


I have one half of my roof rigged to refill the fish pond. I use a gate
valve made for an RV holding tank to divert the water to the pond or the
lawn depending on whether the pond needs water or not.

I doubt that roof runoff is fit to drink anymore. A holding tank for yard
use would be cool.

Colbyt