Seattle averages 38 inches of rain each year, most of that falling between November and March. Come summertime most of us are turning on the hoses to keep our grass green and keep our potted plants alive. It would only make sense to harvest rain and use it during our dry months. Incredibly not many of us are actually investing in this simple system. Collecting rainwater for your home has multiple benefits: saving money, conserving water, preventing stormwater pollution, offering high-quality water for plant life, and earning green building credits.
Earth Systems NW, founded by Nikola Davidson and Clay Fife, is a perfect solution for homeowners. Their purpose is to help homeowners harvest rain for use on their property (yard irrigation and inside water supply) and improve poor drainage or flooding issues. What really sets Earth Systems NW apart is the fact that they design cisterns to “hide” in your yard. This attention to detail is appreciated; usually a homeowner doesn’t want to look at a 2000 gallon water collection system. Clients have hidden their systems under decks, in hedges or underground.
How many gallons of rainwater are you not collecting each year? Earth Systems NW has a handy Average Rainwater Calculator on their website to help you determine which size cistern would best suit your needs. Be sure to check out their photo gallery illustrating the various styles and designs that homeowners have installed.
If you are in Seattle stop by the Northwest Flower & Garden show (February 3-7) to view Earth Systems NW’s life-size water fence.
Image credit: Earth Systems NW
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And the rest of the rain in Seattle falls between October and July! :o)
It's a great idea, however it's technically illegal to do this in many parts of the west. Homeowners don't "own" the water that falls onto their land.
I still can't figure out where the cistern actually is in the 1st photo, and the subsequent photos seem to be from a different vantage, if not a totally different location.
Illegal? In Vancouver, BC, city hall sells rain barrels as well as composters.
Either the cistern is behind a plant in the first photo or it is just a teaser.
The others are from different locations, not from the first photo. Since they are under a deck and behind a fence.
No Cisterns is probably a California rule. The state always in a water shortage but advertises in the Midwest for it's cheese and dairy cows. Dairy cows produce about 20 gallons of milk a day and therefore consume about 35 gallons of water a day. Which is why it is more ecologically sound to buy cheese from Wisconsin since it located next to Minnesota AKA Land of 1000 lakes. They have the water to support the cows.
I took livestock management classes in college because I own horses. A lot more useful as an elective than underwater basket weaving.
In the first photo, look at the left side of the house ... from the eave, count 6 shingles down and you'll see a small white square which is the label on the tall green cistern.
Several western states have rainwater harvesting bans, but new legislation is changing that.
It has been illegal to harvest rainwater in WA in years previous, but the Department of Ecology changed their policies in 2009:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/hq/rwh.html
ah... on my monitor it looks like yellow leaves among the green ones.
Although I think that does qualify as being behind a bush doesn't it ? ; )
I have to admit that in my area, especially when I had spring supplied well water (the best water ever!) I usually didn't need to water and when I did I didn't feel bad because I just pulling it up from under my property and putting back down on top. Redistributing rather than removing.
Now I'm in an apartment, so no large garden to water. I recycle the last of the dog water into the house plants.