Sustainability at your home: Rain Water

Colorado passed the ability for homeowners to collect rainwater on their property some time back in 2016. Since then the interest seems to have been snuffed out, but the change in law was a huge step for Colorado and residents who believe in sustainability. 

What are the benefits of Harvesting Rainwater?

Water, is scarce, especially in our dry climate. Even our water rights as a state don’t belong within state lines as a good portion of water is sent over to California. With that being said, don’t be fooled by the ease of access to clean water – water conservation is important. But ultimately, saving water means saving money.

Oftentimes, you as a homeowner are charged a fee per gallon of water use plus a sewer fee. So watering a lawn or washing a car can turn into a costly chore. Collecting rainwater can reduce both bills from sewer and water. 

Using rainwater also reduces the impact on your local water treatment plant, diminishes stormwater runoff, and gives you a free supply of freshwater to use as you need around the house.

What can I use rainwater for?

A survey conducted by The Conservation Foundation, an organization centered around sustainability and lifestyle choices and movements to preserve the environment and wildlife, found that 40 percent of household water used during the Summer is for watering lawns and gardens. Also, only a quarter-inch of rainfall on an average home will yield over 200 gallons of water.

Collected stormwater is commonly used to water lawns and gardens. Homeowners can even use wash cars, bathe pets, and even fill birdbaths. Even more, uses for rainwater are; outdoor water features like swimming pools, washing windows, mopping floor, power-washing driveways, siding, watering indoor plants. 

Some users of rainwater even claim there is a benefit from using rainwater for washing their hair as it is “soft” water. 

Overall, collecting rainwater can help replace a good amount of water that would otherwise be wasted for one-time use. Even some crafty homeowners have built systems that automatically run piping into their home’s bathroom for toilet use!

Is it worth the effort to collect rainwater?

Sustainability should be on the minds of all homeowners in Colorado. An effort to help preserve our beautiful home and state should be slowly and comfortably integrated into our daily lives. Collecting rainwater can be considered a simple change to our daily lives, by setting out barrels or drains to harvest rainwater we can passively be sustainable in our water usage. It encourages us residents to be good water stewards and be conscious about our impact on the local environment and water cycles.