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For every inch of rain, about 600 gallons of water can be collected from 1,000 sq.ft. of roof area. A typical home with 2000 sq.ft. of roof area in Central Texas can
yield up to 40,000 gallons a year, water that would otherwise run off and contribute to erosion.
Rainwater collected from roof surfaces is stored in cisterns and either pumped back into the house for indoor use, or can be used for landscape irrigation.
Generally, in rural areas the stored water is filtered, treated and used for all indoor purposes.
Services include:
* Turn key potable systems on new construction.
* Complete rain barn potable systems.
* Non-potable do-it-yourself systems.
* Potable do-it-yourself systems.
* Repair and redesign of pre-installed systems.
* System maintenance
* Parts and supplies
* Cistern cleaning
In towns where municipal water systems are available, harvested rainwater is used primarily for landscape irrigation, thus reducing the overall demand for
municipal water. Either way, RWH provides conservation of water supplies. For every inch of rain, about 600 gallons of water can be collected from 1,000 sq.ft. of
roof area. A typical home with 2000 sq.ft. of roof area in Central Texas can yield up to 40,000 gallons a year, water that would otherwise run off and contribute to
erosion.
Rainwater is free of any chemicals and/or dissolved salts. Unlike well water, rainwater is naturally soft, and can be used for household purposes without the
need for a water softener. Rainwater is also ideal for those on low-sodium diets, since it contains no salt. Plants respond to rainwater much better than they do
to municipal water (which has several chemicals added to it during the treatment and purification process).
If properly managed, the RWH system can provide up to 100 gallons of water per day for a typical home. The cost of a RWH system depends on the size of the
cistern used for storage. A RWH system for a home can cost anywhere from $5,000-$15,000, which includes the guttering for leading the water to the cistern, costs
for the cistern, pump and treatment system.
Senate Bill 2 has recently provided sales tax exemption for rainwater harvesting equipment and supplies, which will benefit those who propose to build RWH
systems in the future.
The Texas Water Development Board has produced the "Texas Guide to Rainwater Harvesting", a publication that is in great demand not only within Texas, but
nationally and internationally. The publication can be downloaded free of cost from either the TWDB website, or from the the American Rainwater Catchment
Systems Association (ARCSA) website
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Rainwater Collection Information
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