Archive for rainwater harvesting
Suffering From HOA Deed Restrictions?
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Don’t they know we’re in a drought?
I’m fortunate enough to be living in a community where there are no HOA imposed restrictions and rules. You know those rules, you can only paint with “these” colors and you have to maintain your yard to “this” specification….including keeping your lawn watered and green. Deed restrictions certainly appear to be at odds with the current drought situation.
In Florida, George Acorn wonders how homeowner associations can enforce standards on turfgrass in year three of the worst drought anybody can remember. An interesting article from the St. Petersburg Times, you can read it here.
One deed restriction I thoroughly support is the idea that if a developer is allowed to move forward with a subdivision, there should be a strategy to harvest rainwater from all the rooftops. It’s an idea that needs to take root in the U.S. quickly either by individual homeowners, or communities working together.
Editorial: Water Conservation Bills Worth Backing
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April 25th, 2009
A great editorial in today’s Sacramento Bee…
California is no stranger to drought, though collective memory tends to recede in wet years. During the droughts of 1976-1977 and 1987-1992, Californians supported conservation measures. And those helped lower the burden on water supplies that comes with new housing developments.
AB 300 and AB 1408 call for (among other things) builders to use voluntary water-saving measures (irrigation control, efficient appliances, leak detection kits, automated metering, rainwater harvesting, water recycling) or pay into a conservation fund. Read the entire editorial here.
Rainwater Lost To Sea: Time For Rainwater Harvesting
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SA Opposition leader Martin Hamilton-Smith says recent rainfall is being lost to sea.
I live in Northern California and have seen how much rainwater literally flows right out to sea from our creeks and streams. The ground soaks up what it can, and the rest? Channeled out to sea. Creeks and streams are vital habitats that certainly need to be preserved, but a thoughtful approach to the collection of rainwater by both homeowner and cities/government needs to be examined. Rainwater harvesting is something everyone needs to wake up to.
Australia certainly is in the midst of a huge drought situation and South Australian Opposition leader Martin Hamilton Smith says, “We’re in the midst of our worst drought in history and look what’s happening today and over the weekend, millions of litres of water flushing out into the gulf..” Read the entire article here from ABC news.
Drought Everywhere: Rainwater Harvesting Even In India
Posted by: | CommentsApril 10th, 2009
The drought is not just something in the U.S. Check out this soul-stirring, award winning video shows the reality of the water crisis in India. Each one of us has a responsibility to help turn this around by adopting simple water-conservation measures. Not surprising, the urban areas of India enjoy the same luxuries as many of us in the west. They water their lawns, wash the car in the driveway and take the kids to the water slides. The concept of rainwater harvesting as well as graywater recycling applies worldwide. We’re all in it together.
Yes, It Really Works: The California Rainwater Harvester
Posted by: | CommentsApril 7th, 2009
So much to do yet with the water that comes out of the system..and we’ll have fun discussing and displaying different best practices for doing that.
