Thursday, August 30, 2012

Low Water Systems


creative commons photograph


We love beautiful blooming gardens, but, hello – we live in the dry Colorado climate! What is the most sustainable irrigation system for our gardens?

Lucky Colorado residents are eligible for FREE sprinkler audits, provided by the CRC. These sprinkler experts will come to your house and check the efficiency of your sprinkler system.

Even before you check our your system, it’s a good idea to think about what exactly you watering. Is your system the most efficient system for your needs?

Most of the experts out there agree that the best choice for irrigation is a drip irrigation system. They are inexpensive and highly efficient. The system will put water where you want it, and not waste water where you don’t. Instead of watering large areas of land, as is done with sprinkler systems, a drip system carries the water directly to the base of plants through a system of small pipes so that the water goes where it is needed. Every drop is used by the plant which minimizes wasted water.

There are some disadvantages to drip irrigation systems. The Colorado Extension tells us that if drip irrigation emitters are poorly placed (too far apart or too few in number) root development may be restricted by the limited soil area wetted. Water seeping at ground level is hard to see and makes it difficult to know if the system is working properly. An indicator device that raises and lowers a flag to show when water is flowing is available to overcome this issue. If you are concerned that this may not be the right system for your needs, click through this link , which will take you to a concise irrigation system database from the Colorado State Extension office, and find the system that is!


Drip irrigation systems








written by Roxanna Shohadaee

Monday, August 27, 2012

Reusing your water, a DIY experience pt. 1



creative commons photo courtesy of gildas_f

Hello, and welcome to rainwater harvesting version 2.0! If you missed our first article, which explains these concepts, Grey Water Reuse vs. Rainwater Harvesting is a short introduction. As promised, this article includes some do-it-yourself resources.

Please note, in the state of Colorado there are serious limits to the residential collection of rainwater.
Essentially you cannot collect your rainwater unless you match ALL of the following criteria:
  • The collection property is residential
  • The landowner uses a well for water supply, and there is no water supply available in the area from a municipality or water district
  • The roof from which the rainwater is collected is used primarily as a residence
  • The water is used only for the uses that are allowed by, and identified on, the well permit


Please check the fact sheet for more details. It is very important to check with the Colorado Division of Water Resources and your local building, zoning, and environmental departments before you develop a rainwater harvesting system to determine what plumbing requirements, local restrictions, neighborhood covenants, or other regulations or guidelines might apply to your project (see a list for contact info at the bottom of the article).

So you match the criteria, or you have a home elsewhere, and you’re thinking that you want to harvest rainwater, but where do you begin? First off, you’ll need to decide on a vessel to collect your rainwater, as well as the best place to put it. Choose a spot near a gutter or roof spout to place your vessel. The spot that you choose then needs to be leveled. Follow this YouTube link for a video that shows how to use gravel as a leveling tool: http://youtu.be/x1VLAJ0kXP4. Cinder blocks are also a popular option for leveling.

In order to get the water from your gutters into your vessel, use PVC piping. Measure and install your piping as the bridge from your gutters into your vessel. Cover your vessel, or storage tank, with a tight mesh or a ventilated lid to avoid mosquito breeding, reduce evaporation loss, and avoid contamination, and algal growth (full instructions at Grow NYC   ).
Once captured, there are a few different ways to purify your rainwater. Here we’ll discuss first-flush devices. A first flush device takes the first water from your roof and diverts it so that it can be filtered before it enters your storage tank. Since rainwater rinses your roof, if you do not use a first flush device, the first of the rainwater will carry most of the dirt straight to your tank.
 More information on first flush devices can be found:
                     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_flush
                     http://youtu.be/lV_jwlvrgsE

For more detailed instructions including materials, specs, and diagrams, grownyc.org has put together a very in-depth manual on rainwater harvesting that can be viewed here: http://www.grownyc.org/files/osg/RWH.how.to.pdf. Your system can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Just take some time and see what other people have done before you make your first moves!

Rainwater DIY


The Colorado State University Extension Office has a very up-to-date fact sheet on Graywater Reuse and Rainwater Harvesting. This fact sheet can be found here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06702.html.

Additional Information

Additional information, including frequently asked questions (FAQs), is available by visiting the Colorado Division of Water Resources at http://water.state.co.us/.                Or call: 303.866.3581
For more information, contact your local county health or planning department or visit:
          Water resources division website water.state.co.us  
          Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us
          Colorado Division of Water Resources: http://water.state.co.us
          American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association: www.arcsa.org
Texas Rain Water Collection information: www.twdb.state.tx.us/innovativewater/rainwater/docs

written by Roxanna Shohadaee