It's raining I'm storing

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I went one step further and built a purification system that enables me to use rainwater for all my domestic needs, including drinking water. From the pressure tank, the water passes through a 25-micron filter, then into another canister with a 5-micron filter. After that, it flows through a high intensity ultraviolet light unit, which kills any remaining organisms. As a final step, I added a 5-micron carbon filter. This was slight overkill on "My filtered water is so clear that ice cubes almost look like diamonds." my part because rainwater already is very clean, but it did improve the water's taste. The whole system cost less than $1,400.

Before harvested rainwater is used for drinking, it should be tested by professionals. A good friend did this for me, but any local health department can do it. When my water was tested, it was cleaner than the city water! It also tastes great. My filtered water is crystal clear and makes the best coffee ever. It is so pure that ice cubes almost look like diamonds.

NOT WASHED AWAY

Last year, Bandera County was part of the big Texas flood. We got more than 24 inches of rain in a month. Homes less than 50 yards from me were washed away. I witnessed my neighbors' propane tanks, sofas and carports going right down the river in front of my eyes. An entire double-wide went by, too! There were deer and armadillos and other animals swimming for their lives.

When all those homes washed away, naturally the water and sewer lines were broken and the municipal drinking water was contaminated. People had to buy bottled water, and people with wells had to add chlorine. Believe me, the flood of 2002 was no joke.

Well, guess what? During that entire, horrifying experience, I could wake up, flush, get a shower and make coffee the same as I do every day! Life and water went on for me as usual. I also was able to help my neighbors out by giving them drinking water from my system. The more it rained, the more water I had.

Every drop of water entering our bodies was rainwater at one time or another. Harvesting rainwater is an interesting hobby, and it's easy to do. The quality of the water itself is a worthwhile investment. Remember: Mother Earth never sends a bill, and you soon get your money back!

For more information on how Robert Foley built his rainwater harvesting system, contact him at P.O. Box 2491; Bandera, TX 78003.

Mother Earth News

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