What should I do with my runoff rainwater?

Question

I want to collect my runoff rainwater. I have a crude low-tech system in mind but I don't know what to do with the water. Is there any way to connecct it to a sprinkler or purify it for drinking? Any information on runoff rainwater collection would help.

Answer 1

Do not use for drinking water without treating it with chlorine. The bird droppings can be very bad. It is excellent for watering your house plants or U could siphon it out to water small places in the lawn.

Answer 2

Get yourself a rain barrel.  They are useful for storing run off and piping it through a hose for watering plants and gardens.  You could also make one if you don't want to pay for a pre-assembled barrel.

If your going to use it for sprinklers, you'd need to use an electric pump to get pressure.

Answer 3

By the way, unless you live by the coast, and your runoff is part of the overall water supply - to the groundwater table, or to creeks which eventually flow into major rivers.  

In fact, in some states, even as a land owner, you may not have the water rights (i.e. that run off rainwater is NOT yours to use).

There is truly no "free lunch" in this world.

Answer 4

There are systems which show how to use rainwater to flush your toilet.  The toilet uses around 20% of the total household consumption so it sounds a good idea.

One of the links also suggests using rainwater for your laundry and other ideas.

Answer 5

It would be pretty difficult to get enough water pressure to connect it to a sprinkler, but if you go to www.instructables.com and search for 'rain water collection' you can find a demonstration of how some guy connected a hose to his rainwater collection system.

Answer 6

If you are in a drought prone area you could make a small in-ground pond

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And you can make the pond larger or deeper as needed

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be careful of being left dormant with out any water movement cause it will cause algae

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A periodic timer in the day that will operate a water pump to move the water and this will take care of keeping it clean and healthy water NOT TO DRINK only to use in the yard

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And you will have a yard decor to make part of the home decoration too

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Answer 7

into a pond or tank

I Portugal and Spain some of the old houses still have tanks under the patios ,that store the rain water .

When i was a kid our house had rain barrels under the gutters

for a sprinkler you need to put in a filter

Water harvesting

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