Rain harvesting

Blake · Guest

Anyone interested in rainwater harvesting please ask questions or post comments. I have a company that consults and intalls rainwater harvesting systems in Austin TX. We also sell rainbarrels made from food grade barrels and whiskey barrels. Love anything regarding rain water harvesting. www.watercache.com

Sasha

I'd love to see some rain around here...But I think I'll just have to wait.

glassguy · Guest

while living outside of durango, we had a serious shortage of water availability. So I thought that a garden was out of the question, unless I was to haul the water out to our place. So I asked a neighbor how he watered his more than ample garden. He had some sort of system that took the used water from the shower and used it for his garden. It brought all kinds of questions to mind, especially about the quality of the water that he was using to water his garden. Does anyone have any ideas how to utilize this system of recycling water? And could I use it for an organic garden?

Sasha · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 3:56 pm Post subject: Bathwater and vegetables

I heard a customer at my coffee shop mention using bathwater for watering a vegetable garden. At first this sounded ucko, but am I jsut over-reacting? Soap and shampoo/conditioner/ bath products could potentially be harmful, no? What if the household used "organic" personal care items?

Guest · Guest

I've heard of using "graywater" from the household to water the ornamental landscape by using a system similar to rainwater collection. It can be bathwater or water from the laundry, and it does require the use of organic, easily-broken down washing products. It would be necessary to set up the system so that water could be sent either to the collection tank or on down the drain as usual. (If someone is very ill or if an inorganic chemical must be used in the water, you want to be able to dispose of the water somewhere besides the collection tank.) I would think the washing products would be especially a matter of concern if the water is to be used on a vegetable garden and not just ornamentals. That's about all I know, having assumed that city codes would prevent me from doing such a thing, but it does seem an interesting possibility.

pmondo · Guest Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 11 Location: New Jersey

man we have got way to much rain in NJ i wish i could send some to you my garden is just about floating

rained 6 of they last 12 days l

ZIPPER · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 2:12 pm Post subject: Re: Rain harvesting

Blake wrote: Anyone interested in rainwater harvesting please ask questions or post comments. I have a company that consults and intalls rainwater harvesting systems in Austin TX. We also sell rainbarrels made from food grade barrels and whiskey barrels. Love anything regarding rain water harvesting. www.watercache.com

Guest Blake,

Glad you joined us and hope you will be back soon.

You have an interesting topic so I have moved it over to the Gardener Exchange in hopes that you: 1] get some hits and 2] post some of your knowledge about the ins and outs of Rain Harvesting such as city codes, etc.

ZIPPER · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: Bathwater and vegetables

Sasha,
Your customer(s) are correct and idea is not 'ucko' by long shot.

Laundry soaps and bleaches are your main concerns. Use Phosphate Free soaps and watch the amount of bleach you use. I don't believe the bleach used in a large load will have detrimental affect after the plants are up and running.

If in question, divert to the normal drain.

Don't even think about hooking up a garden hose to the washing machine discharge hose. It's not large enough to handle the fast volumn of water.
Consider using the blue, flat 2" diameter hose used to discharge water from a swimming pool pump.

Nadine · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:52 am Post subject:

I do not use any bleach. Ever. I get great results with hydrogen peroxide or baking soda - even in the laundry! To disinfect, I use grapefruit seed extract.

Check the "Home Care" forum for more ideas.

Most of the products sold for use as personal cleansing (bath bars, shower gels, etc.) are made of petroleum products. Check this out:
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=766

I use soap made by this guy. It is really great! I was having problems with the skin on my hands. Using the cornmeal soap cleared it right up! :D

umpy · Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 2:19 pm Post subject: Laundry waste = great garden

While in College I rented a house where the washing machine and kitchen both drained straight out to a garden area. I had the biggest bell and jalipeno peppers I have ever grown. My tomatoes where overloaded,
and had the best taste. My biology prof. said the soaps where like fertilizers and the constant moisture also helped.