Thursday, December 20, 2012

Rainwater Harvesting in Massachusetts

Rainwater Harvesting

I have always been captivated by the idea of harvesting rainwater to ultimately be used to irrigate ones property. Irrigation clients come to me every year looking for ways to not only keep their lawn and plants lush but also save on their water bill. Many of our local towns, such as Lexington, Winchester, Lincoln, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Bedford, Belmont, Concord, Weston & Wellesley, Massachusetts allow for second water meters which in turn helps our clients save around 60% of their water bill due to not having to pay for sewer service fees. But today, we have even better methods at our disposal when it comes to lowering water bills and getting around local water bans.....Rainwater Harvesting!

  "The long history of rainwater collection, can be traced (in recorded history) as far back as ancient times some 3,000 years ago (850 BC) if not even farther. The need for water is a basic human essential for maintaining life, without it, no civilization could have prospered. Rainwater collection in ancient Constantinople is one of the last megalithic structures of its kind. During the dark ages, technologies as advanced as these however seem to have taken a severe decline in the western world, while older less expensive techniques persisted up until the industrial era. With the advance of technology, time proven methods gave way to centralized systems of water collection, with pipes and collective communal systems. If we however, are to learn from our mistakes, we must study history and in this way rediscover the value of rainwater collection. (http://www.rain-barrel.net/rainwater-collection.html)"

Here is how the system works:
   Rainwater is harvested from your roof, driveway and low lying lawn areas. The water from these areas is then directed to the storm filter which removes leaf and debris litter and finally on to the rainwater storage areas.

How will this system benefit you?

  • Creates a water reserve at no additional cost and without environmental impact.
  • Offers potential cost-savings to homeowners by reducing their demand on municipal or well water for household uses; for example, a typical lawn can require about 3000 gallons (11355 liters) of water a month, depending on the climate.
  • Stores a large volume of water in a small area.
  • Provides cost-effective storm water management, eliminating poor drainage around the house.
  • Allows builders to earn LEED credits for CRRH installations when projects are designed per LEED requirements. (http://www.cultec.com/waterharvesting.html)


  •  
    Will I really be able to irrigate my property without the use of a town water supply?
    Yes.... and here's why!
     
     
    In Massachusetts, we average around 40 - 50 inches of rainfall per year. With the ability to harvest this rainwater, you now have the potential of collecting thousands of gallons throughout the year to irrigate your property. Let's say that the total foot print of the area in which you will be collecting your rainwater from is around 3,500.00 sqft. For every 1" rain event, your harvesting system will collect 2,176.00 gallons of pure rainwater (your yearly total would be 97,920 gallons), giving you the ability to irrigate your property during town water bans etc. So, if your irrigation system averages around 3,000 gallons of water usage per month or more and your Rainwater Harvesting system has the potential to collect 97,000 gallons per year, then this system is for you.
     
    To receive a quote for a Rainwater Harvesting System
    Contact Ryan Wikman, the owner of WikWorks, Inc at rwikman@wikworks.com or call at 781-956-2778, also visit our contact page or visit our website
    To view constant updates "like" us on Facebook and receive a free WikWorksInc Water Bottle!
     
    We install these system in these local communities in Eastern Massachusetts:
    


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