Rainwater Harvesting QA - Cost, is it Illegal, how I treat, etc,.

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  • čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
  • Today I’m answering Rainwater Harvesting questions about my rainwater collection system tour video. Treatment and filtration, is rainwater harvesting illegal, system cost, what is the capacity, how long can we go between rains, what other forms of harvesting do we use, plans for the future, and more!
    Thanks for watching and please let me know if you have any questions!!
    Here is a legend if you want to skip to a particular question/answer…
    NOTE: forgot to talk about two other questions... annual rainfall in this area is about 12" and the water in the pipes transfers to the tan tank via a level difference. It is explained in the first video. Here is the link:) • Rainwater Harvesting -...
    Do we have a well? - 1:34
    Why don’t we have one? -1:40
    System capacity? - 2:09
    Collection area sqft? -2:49
    How many gallons per inch of rain? - 3:14
    Do we treat for algae? - 3:24
    How do we filter the water? - 4:05
    Other ways we harvest rain? - 5:01
    Why no “first flush” system? - 6:45
    How do we clean the gutters? - 8:30
    Isn’t rainwater acidic? - 8:52
    What about bird poop? - 9:25
    Have we had our water tested? - 9:50
    Is rainwater harvesting illegal? - 10:03
    How do we drain/flush the pipes? - 11:06
    Did I do all the work myself? - 11:30
    How do we conserve? - 12:08
    Graywater? - 12:39
    What did this system cost? - 12:57
    Future rainwater harvesting plans? - 15:16
    Please let me know if you have any questions☺
    If you guys like the videos I make and would like to help support the channel at no additional cost to you. Please consider doing some of you Amazon shopping through this link. I may receive a small commission for any items you purchase. It’s greatly appreciated ☺
    amzn.to/2rGhp7i
    Music sourced from the youtube audio library. Credits are as follows:
    Far Away - by MK2

Komentáře • 7K

  • @homesteadonomics
    @homesteadonomics  Před 7 lety +1111

    Wow! Thanks so much for the response guys! Lots of good questions...actually way too many that I can't keep up... and I'm sorry for that :)
    ..but please try to keep it positive with one another. Not everyone will agree with each other, and that's okay. But bringing up things that really don't have anything to do with this video doesn't really do much good :/
    Anyways, thanks for watching :)

    • @davidprock904
      @davidprock904 Před 7 lety +11

      homesteadonomics , Check out John Ellis Water so you don't have to add any chemicals to you water, but it's way much more that just that. And should you want to be considered about the acid aspect of your water look into Kangen Water, it also is so much more than dealing with acid. Also did you know you can use electricity to get water out of the air, would be good for inside and outside. You know how much water we lose through our breath !! And on the topic of electricity why not look into solar power, there is a guy on CZcams called "Robert Murray-Smith" who shows a few ways to make your own solar panels, one of them in transparent and cheap. Oh and with your setup with the way you have the gap in the pipes to your drainage from the roof... take like a small DC motor with a piece of something that can cover the drain pipes. Have it spring loaded to stay open. So when the rain is going to come, if someone is home, applying power to the small motors for each pipe to pull against the spring bringing the cover over your pipe. Or think of an easier way. In fact I just thought of another way electricity free while typing this, ask if u want to know, it will be pages to type, it just came to me, hope I don't forget lol

    • @herbert46lovecraft72
      @herbert46lovecraft72 Před 7 lety +14

      your better than wranglerstar!

    • @SwedishMeatball972
      @SwedishMeatball972 Před 7 lety +1

      click the link in the description.

    • @SlippinJimmy.
      @SlippinJimmy. Před 7 lety +9

      I like the gutter vacuum. You can also put a fine mesh screen on the gutters, if you can find a good deal. There's really fine stainless steel mesh you can buy, but it's REALLY expensive. If you could find a cheaper alternative like many layers of cheap plastic screen, it might be worth a try.

    • @jaxxbrat2634
      @jaxxbrat2634 Před 7 lety +4

      homesteadonomics
      well im impressed..

  • @amando96
    @amando96 Před 3 lety +1139

    "illegal to collect rainwater" is one of those laws that needs to be broken by everyone.

    • @jaseastroboy9240
      @jaseastroboy9240 Před 3 lety +41

      There was talk of making rain water catchment a restricted activity where I live. The idea was that as long as you got local council approval then you could use it. The reasoning was that because we have town sewerage and the cost of sewerage disposal/treatment is calculated as a percentage of your homes water usage. (seems like a better idea than trying to measure the actual sewerage flow) If you used rainwater then you would still be generating the same amount of sewerage but your town water usage would be reduced or eliminated. So you would not be paying your fair share of the town sewerage treatment costs. So the plan was that when you applied for approval to use rainwater the utility/council would require a measurement of you collection area. Then they would calculate expected water catchment based on average rainfall. Then they could use that figure to calculate the percentage to be charged for sewer water treatment and disposal. This was not a popular idea as many people didn't understand the reasons and just saw it as being charged money for collecting rain. Not sure if the idea was actually implemented as we decided not to harvest rainwater and I haven't investigated it again.

    • @Fractal227
      @Fractal227 Před 3 lety +47

      @@jaseastroboy9240 I see your reasoning, but the treatment plant could have water-measurement on the out-going line and they could eliminate the water-measurement on the in-going line? Why should home owners / others be limited by other people's short thinking?

    • @jaseastroboy9240
      @jaseastroboy9240 Před 3 lety +13

      @@Fractal227 Probably much easier to measure water flow of the inbound clean water rather than trying to measure the chunkier outgoing flow. Also our inbound water connection is normally at the front of the house so the meter is usually very accessible. Whereas most sewerage lines go to the back of the property. No easy access for meter reading. Probably done that way to keep sewerage as far away as possible from the fresh drinking water, or possibly from the days when properties had a laneway at the back where excrement carter emptied the outdoor toilet.
      Installing and maintaining a measuring device on each houses sewerage line seems like it would be a rather messy and unpleasant job. Bleh. :)

    • @johnfoster1800
      @johnfoster1800 Před 3 lety +56

      UN Constitutional Laws are not Laws ! Rain water belongs to Foreign Bankers ?

    • @BowenOrg
      @BowenOrg Před 3 lety +81

      Special Note:
      We The People DON"T have to "break any laws" collecting rain water because, if you "own" your property, real estate law states that you own everything "straight up and straight down!
      * Are there exceptions? Of course!
      * For everything on or under the ground, in some states the water, mineral and gas rights can be sold and owned by others. Still no problem to collect water "before" it gets to the ground!
      * For everything above the ground, the land owner owns the air and sunshine AND ANY WATER coming from the sky.
      * You can't keep planes from flying overhead (in most cases) but, you "might" have a legal case to stop drones!
      MORAL OF THE STORY!!!!!!
      DON'T LET GOVERNMENTS RUN OVER YOUR RIGHTS!
      WE THE PEOPLE OWN & RUN THIS COUNTRY... NOT OUR HIRED HELP IN GOVERNMENT!

  • @AntPDC
    @AntPDC Před 3 lety +128

    It boggles the mind that the idea that collecting rain water might be "illegal" is even a thing!

    • @jsmariani4180
      @jsmariani4180 Před 2 lety +3

      I know of farmer's who would be in favor of that, as they believe they have first dibs on all the water.

    • @littlered7820
      @littlered7820 Před 2 lety

      @@jsmariani4180 You talking about the parasitic govt communists ?....coz without farmers you dead

    • @BlackVibeBallsack
      @BlackVibeBallsack Před 2 lety +4

      I thought Joe Biden owned all US water

    • @littleme3597
      @littleme3597 Před rokem

      @@jsmariani4180 No. You can't control where it rains or how much. FARMERS DO NOT CARE.

    • @donaldkasper8346
      @donaldkasper8346 Před rokem +1

      Because there is no way to assure the water meets health standards. For example, a tar shingle roof will pick up petroleum chemicals that are just poisonous. Now, for landscaping alone, it wouldn't matter.

  • @SokemRokemRobot
    @SokemRokemRobot Před 2 lety +38

    IMO, $5k is cheap compared to what everything must be costing because of the inflation that is happening right now. You constructed that system at the right time. Great job!

  • @johnfenn
    @johnfenn Před 2 lety +74

    As an Australian I grew up on tank water as have millions of Australians. You are doing great. You are well on the way to a beautiful oasis in the desert. Well done. Next some tall trees on the swales to create a mini environment and to enhance underground storage. Every drop of rain that falls on your land is yours, and you get to use it 3 times before you let it off the property. Brilliant video, 100 points.

    • @davebloggs
      @davebloggs Před rokem +3

      Well said, As the world warms up rain harvesting will become more important . Just look at VW when they installed rain harvesting on their factory they collected so much they provided for all of their needs and supplied the local town with the excess as well.

    • @littleme3597
      @littleme3597 Před rokem

      @@davebloggs No warming. Just regular earth cycle.

    • @davebloggs
      @davebloggs Před rokem +1

      @@littleme3597 the world has been warming since the last ice age and will cool at the next one but the data does strongly indicate that we have accelerated the process to a large degree.

    • @damienomen68
      @damienomen68 Před rokem +1

      Rainwater tanks are ok. Grew up in Papua New Guinea with them. Prolly better than the water in most urban systems.

    • @boomer3150
      @boomer3150 Před rokem +3

      John Fenn: Excellent points, well-said. And as far as it being "illegal", haha. Let "them" try and stop us!

  • @alanbrown397
    @alanbrown397 Před 5 lety +761

    FWIW, there was an attempt to claim ownership of rainwater by the water companies in the UK.
    It got as far as court - and the defendants cleverly _almost_ walked the plaintiffs (the water companies) into an assertion that they owned all the water that fell from the sky, and by extension all the water that flowed into streams and rivers.
    At some point the plaintiff lawyers realised that claiming ownership of all the water that fell everywhere meant that would also be admitting legal liability for billions of dollars in flooding and erosion caused by "their" water - at which point they adjourned and then withdrew the case.
    That was the last that was ever heard of such claims in this country again.

    • @bubblegummers84
      @bubblegummers84 Před 5 lety +36

      This is when English law really comes into it's own. Common sense really!

    • @Coden11
      @Coden11 Před 5 lety +5

      Wow

    • @u2mister17
      @u2mister17 Před 5 lety +7

      Alan Brown
      I'm thinking that claim of ownership by water "companies" was some time ago.
      Now that the UK has been absorbed by the World Wide Mafia Left the "companies" will be government utilities and not
      subject to capitalist principals or democracy law.
      "...then withdrew the case." The left owns you. Pay your taxes and shut up.

    • @cuy50
      @cuy50 Před 5 lety +23

      @@u2mister17 what the actual fuck are you on about man. What does anything he said have to do with politics, left or right?

    • @trackdusty
      @trackdusty Před 5 lety +5

      @@cuy50 Harvesting water isn't politics? Bone up on reality. Privatisation is far worse than policies delivered by a - reasonably - patriotic government acting in the national interest. I've seen both over long periods of time. You'd be a privatisation man, David, that's why you don't want to have any talk about politics? Correct?

  • @judithallen5919
    @judithallen5919 Před 7 lety +503

    I love that you get right to the point! No fluff just great info..thanks

    • @homesteadonomics
      @homesteadonomics  Před 7 lety +6

      thanks Judith!

    • @johnbeckman8916
      @johnbeckman8916 Před 7 lety +12

      Judith Allen_
      Ditto!
      This is an incredible video. I LOVE how comprehensive it is. It looks like "water management" is your most sophisticated system and it's very well done.

    • @SpoiledBadgerMilk
      @SpoiledBadgerMilk Před 7 lety +2

      You must watch alex jones lol

    • @Velo1010
      @Velo1010 Před 7 lety +1

      Judith Allen Me, too.

    • @TheItsmegp46
      @TheItsmegp46 Před 7 lety

      You live in Az. Do you get enough rainwater to make all this worthwhile?

  • @99PercentOffFreeHugs
    @99PercentOffFreeHugs Před 3 lety +14

    I love when you are watching a video like this and a person is 100% real and is just like "I didn't feel like it" or "It cost too darn much" So many times you get people who aren't like that and it brings a realness to homesteading and things like this.

    • @cheesygal
      @cheesygal Před 2 lety +2

      Yes. It’s very sincere and unpretentious. We’re running as fast as we can and are cutting corners. Sometimes it’s the best choice.

  • @cuddlebuddy88mc
    @cuddlebuddy88mc Před 2 lety +11

    Thanks for the insight. I'm going to move back home to the Navajo reservation and want to learn as much as possible to get enough water, incase they tell me they can't dig for water lines - too far from the main hub. I grew up without running water and electricity so no biggie. Also wanted to have a big garden and fruit trees. 😋

  • @ScrapwoodCity
    @ScrapwoodCity Před 7 lety +484

    We who live in the cities take for granted so many things. One of them is endless water supply. It's really amazing the fact that you put so much effort in collecting the rain water in order to fulfill the needs of your home! Awesome work man!

    • @homesteadonomics
      @homesteadonomics  Před 7 lety +22

      thanks Dimitri! It definitely a work in progress but serves us pretty well. eventually I want to have a large concrete cistern but will have to save some money for that:)

    • @PCMrX.9961
      @PCMrX.9961 Před 7 lety +19

      Hi I used a 3600 gallon tank made of fiberglass it was made for diesel fuel. Cost new was $5000. You can bury it with no cave in problems like plastic tanks / rubber tanks. I put mine 12 feet under 8 ft. diameter. that gave me 4 ft. of dirt on top. Will last for 100+ years.

    • @pollyjetix2027
      @pollyjetix2027 Před 6 lety +3

      wouldn't a new septic tank work?

    • @tommysanfilippo3165
      @tommysanfilippo3165 Před 5 lety +2

      Yea. It sure will.

    • @Jesus-kt5dc
      @Jesus-kt5dc Před 5 lety +1

      @@pollyjetix2027 *GOOD POINT.*

  • @ms.farmgirl
    @ms.farmgirl Před 3 lety +96

    This is a good information video. I'd like to share something my dad did back in the 1940's-1970's,, when he was farming the land. We had a 380 acre farm that had self sustaining water management systems. There was a WELL on the property, but it was NOT really used. The water was too hard.
    There was a water cistern system and a wind-will that did the majority of pumping. My dad had created a strainer system that he fashioned out of a MILKER filtration similar to coffee filters. This is where all the milk is strained before it goes into the Milk Cans for pick up. He did the same with with all the rainwater that went through a similar set up,, only instead of the 2 straining,, he had 5 strainings.
    It was literally strained 5 times before it went into the underground tanks. Large wire screen, into a medium wire screen, into a smaller screen, and then through the fine filters that was many layers of cheese cloth and flour sack cotton fabric. Those were changed out after each rain falls,, and snow melting collection. It was ALL. Washed and clean all the time. NOTHING got through the filter system,,and it ended up PURE!
    He had a circulation pump that pumped the water all the way through the system every week.. It was literally re-filtered on a regular schedule to keep the algae under control. It wasn't stagnant for long periods of time.

    • @mjleger4555
      @mjleger4555 Před 2 lety +9

      My grandparents had a big pond on their farm. Grandpa used to fill a big wooden container that he had on some kind of cart and his two draft horses would pull it from fruit tree to fruit tree for him to bail out buckets of water to water the trees! I was about 6 or 7 at the time, and he used to put my sister and I up on the horses to ride while he watered the trees. I remember my legs stuck straight out on that horse's broad bare back!

    • @IAMONELUVNOW
      @IAMONELUVNOW Před rokem

      Amazing Farm Girl👏🏾👍🏽

  • @imzanawlto3070
    @imzanawlto3070 Před rokem +7

    more people need to do this.... in my country most rural houses live with water tanks that hold the water collected from the roof of the house.

  • @320dak
    @320dak Před 2 lety +39

    Grew up in Missouri where my parents, relatives and neighbors collect rainwater. Most of them built a concrete cistern under their house when constructing it. My parents built it under their single wide carport. Holds around 10,000 to 11,000 gallons. We grew up drinking the water and they continue to drink it for over 50 years now.
    Couple of tips: Install a diverter valve a few feet above the ground on the downspout of your guttering. Before it starts raining make sure they are turned out so none of the water flows into your holding tanks. All of the crap from your roof will not drain into your tanks. When it starts raining, turn them in after about 15 to 30 mins so you have clean water now. Also, do not collect the snow melt off your roof. It makes the water taste bad. And, if your water does taste bad, throw a couple of hands full of salt in your tanks or cistern. It will taste better. Only treatment we ever did to the water. Final tip: Every few years when you are running low on water, use this time as an opportunity to clean out your tanks or cistern before having water delivered. Having six kids, my parents would make us scoop out the settlement with five gallon buckets, grain shovels and brooms. I do not miss that part of those days.

    • @mjleger4555
      @mjleger4555 Před 2 lety +1

      Any rain water you collect should have a cover over it, or mosquitoes will lay eggs in it, insects and other things can get into it and make it unclean.

    • @doctorkayak
      @doctorkayak Před rokem

      @addsurfer1970 LOL! I love hearing comments from "experts".

    • @doctorkayak
      @doctorkayak Před rokem

      @@mjleger4555 wow... LOL

    • @doctorkayak
      @doctorkayak Před rokem

      @addsurfer1970 LOL oh LORD! Hell-arious!

    • @thomasmaughan4798
      @thomasmaughan4798 Před rokem

      @addsurfer1970 "concrete holding tanks are where legionaries disease came from."
      Not exactly, although anything that holds water can also hold this bacterium.
      "In January 1977, the Legionella bacterium was finally identified and isolated and was found to be breeding in the cooling tower of the hotel's air conditioning system"
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Philadelphia_Legionnaires%27_disease_outbreak

  • @urhomie5870
    @urhomie5870 Před 4 lety +396

    mans building a whole country in his backyard ..independent goals

    • @justpull544
      @justpull544 Před 4 lety +2

      Lol...
      "Goddamn", Noop Noop voice...

    • @robertdavenport1109
      @robertdavenport1109 Před 4 lety +2

      Mans not hot! In desert.

    • @xATxCody
      @xATxCody Před 3 lety +3

      The smart ones will all be doing this come Jan 20....

    • @ViperAqua
      @ViperAqua Před 3 lety +4

      We gotta all be on this type of timing, matrix is crumbling. Mad respect to this guy

    • @gregorytaylor3146
      @gregorytaylor3146 Před 3 lety

      Shut we see going down these days; a "small country in the backyard" might be the difference between continuing breathing ...

  • @unstoppableExodia
    @unstoppableExodia Před 4 lety +83

    I respect that this guy is maximizing his rain water collecting capacity

  • @quentinsmith4678
    @quentinsmith4678 Před 2 lety +3

    Good to see the moisture farmers are doing well this season.

  • @caitlinamberholmes
    @caitlinamberholmes Před 3 lety +11

    I accidentally stumbled upon this video and happen to live in AZ. This is such a cool video. Got to give you props for that production quality!!

  • @ryanjones7681
    @ryanjones7681 Před 4 lety +441

    2am and I'm learning how to collect rain water...
    In july

  • @freogirl7956
    @freogirl7956 Před 4 lety +23

    We are in Australia.. Dams and local water catchment areas also fill from rain and runs offs. They are full of bird poop, dead animals and other contaminants. It then goes through a treatment and filtration system where chemicals are added before they enter the pipelines for home use.
    There is nothing better than having your own water tank and knowing the history of the water that you use to drink and to feed your plants & animals with. Well done for doing your bit with helping to save the planet 😀

  • @SeanWyseman
    @SeanWyseman Před rokem +7

    Our house in Fiji was 100' long * 40' wide. The roof captured all the water we needed into a 6000 gallon round concrete tank about 10' high. All our drinking water was from an RO unit. The rest just had a 10 micron sediment filter.

  • @hiroshima2398
    @hiroshima2398 Před 2 lety +5

    Love it Man! U kicked Ass on your system & explanation in short n sweet detail. U get a 10 out of 10 from this new subscriber & look forward to your other vids... I'll be passing the well thought out knowledge to others & putting this system into play.... Also residing in AZ. towards the NE of the state. Cheers to you sir!!
    Thank you!!

  • @apoorvbajpai4763
    @apoorvbajpai4763 Před 4 lety +35

    i just came for the legality question!! it hilarious to deem it illegal. In India not only it is encouraged but in some areas, it has been made mandatory to be included in all new constructions

  • @robertmacdonald1102
    @robertmacdonald1102 Před 7 lety +26

    After watching this video for 5 minutes i gotta believe this guy has read the book "dune". If he hasnt he should.
    You have a fine water conservation ethos, my friend.

  • @kdwslc
    @kdwslc Před 3 lety +2

    Very helpful. I never thought about putting in an additional Greywater tank to recover what is used. Great job!

  • @seemeeseeu
    @seemeeseeu Před 2 lety +5

    Very good. i love your uncomplicated, straight forward, approach. No BS. Thank you.

  • @brotherzeke8002
    @brotherzeke8002 Před 5 lety +127

    The Water Man has a gift of speaking upright. The video is concise and edited well. Straight to point of answering these questions. Keep up the good work.

    • @azzgunther
      @azzgunther Před 4 lety +6

      That's the cadence of an unfluoridated man ;)

  • @IanDenchasy
    @IanDenchasy Před 4 lety +7

    YOU are such an inspiration! Our city of Atascaderod, CA has changed all their ordinances and zoning codes to ALLOW for and ENCOURAGE rainwater collection! 5 grand is NOTHING - just to connect to our water company here is cost over 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS PLUS THE MONTHLY COST OF THE WATER! We are building a tiny home here that will rely ENTIRELY on rainwater collection, low-voltage solar, and grey water recycling system. Keep preaching, dude, we really appreciate it.

  • @RAfA95
    @RAfA95 Před 3 lety +2

    Thanks for Great video. You've inspired to get going on this for watering lawn and garden, etc. Definitely going to be watching your other videos for more inspiration on this and other things.

  • @gieguilingen
    @gieguilingen Před 2 lety +2

    Thank you, as i gathered an idea how to collect rain water that we needed the most in the countryside where I am. God bless you, more power.. 🙏

  • @MrMGR1986
    @MrMGR1986 Před 7 lety +594

    Making it illegal to collect rain water is absolutely evil

    • @someone-ji2zb
      @someone-ji2zb Před 7 lety +65

      Welcome to states like California and Colorado where liberal mentality is that we must be 100% dependent on the government. You will practically lose your home if they catch you collecting rainwater.

    • @MisterCOM
      @MisterCOM Před 7 lety +8

      someone667 wait what

    • @theTerribleTyler
      @theTerribleTyler Před 7 lety +6

      it's in due part to pollutants carried from the air that is transferred to rain droplets which causes the rain which can cause the rain to turn toxic. Old enough to remember acid rain?

    • @skylerstorm93
      @skylerstorm93 Před 7 lety +12

      IntoTheFray fuck
      um do it any way

    • @SidneyBoud
      @SidneyBoud Před 6 lety +28

      River water is rain water how would a city get water without breaking the law.

  • @Laramedes
    @Laramedes Před 4 lety +66

    I haven't read thru all of the comments, so perhaps this has already been addressed. The life span of those poly tanks can be greatly extended by reducing the amount of UV they receive. So a rain roof above them would not only protect your tanks, but also provide for additional rainwater collection. Just a suggestion and thanks for the videos.

    • @craighearn747
      @craighearn747 Před 2 lety +10

      I thought the same thing. Large roof with additional rain collection and maybe ring of trees around it to screen and not over temp the water. Nice system otherwise,

    • @anthonylehner3643
      @anthonylehner3643 Před 2 lety +3

      Good thinking brother!👍

    • @snail847
      @snail847 Před 2 lety +3

      Good idea!

    • @THEROOTMATTERS
      @THEROOTMATTERS Před rokem +6

      Always on my mind, what plastic toxins are in those collectors? BPA is not the only questionable chemicals that may be in plastic.

    • @doctorkayak
      @doctorkayak Před rokem +3

      @@THEROOTMATTERS Good point! Please do share what other questionable toxins might be in them?

  • @MrChisparo
    @MrChisparo Před 2 lety +4

    Wow! Your efforts are an inspiration for going off grid and staying green! I will subscribe to your informative channel!

  • @alecscotthardyii8805
    @alecscotthardyii8805 Před 3 lety +4

    Great insight. Good details and obvious organization of almost concentric applications of water and other water management. It looks like all four corners of the area surrounding the house and grounds have total coverage and applied channels for irrigation as well. Nicely presented.

  • @nickwit21
    @nickwit21 Před 5 lety +60

    This water collection system is on a whole other level!

  • @navybluejacket4401
    @navybluejacket4401 Před 2 lety +2

    Planning to do a small system on my off-grid cabin. This was very helpful. Thank You.

  • @tankeryankernomore6499
    @tankeryankernomore6499 Před 2 lety +5

    Good info! I had no idea I knew so little about water catchment. Setting up my first system in few weeks.

  • @SUVRVing
    @SUVRVing Před 7 lety +168

    For some reason I really like that PVC vacuum tube extender thing for cleaning out the rain gutters...

    • @jerryjdawgsworldarnold
      @jerryjdawgsworldarnold Před 7 lety +7

      SUV RVing he should consider marketing that...it's cool

    • @homesteadonomics
      @homesteadonomics  Před 7 lety +10

      thanks SUVRVing! it isn't fancy but works well:)

    • @jerryjdawgsworldarnold
      @jerryjdawgsworldarnold Před 7 lety +7

      ***** could have put screens over the gutters...heavy debris is washed off not collected

    • @tomjeffersonwasright2288
      @tomjeffersonwasright2288 Před 7 lety +7

      Glen: You can walk the roof, blowing the trash out of gutters with a leaf blower. It works great, even for totally filled gutters

    • @bigwheelsturning
      @bigwheelsturning Před 7 lety +2

      I use my leaf blower with a 90 and an old vacuum nozzle to blow out the fir needles. Have to do it once or twice a month. Live in a forest.

  • @320dak
    @320dak Před 3 lety +14

    Grew up in the Midwest US. Parents have a cistern under their back porch area used for collecting rainwater off of their roof. It is the size of a single car parking area and part of their basement. They raised six of us kids off of that. Once every seven to eight years we cleaned out the settlement in the cistern when the water level was low. Never did use any filters or anything. If the water had a certain taste to it, my dad would throw a couple hands full of salt in it. Only ran out of water maybe a half dozen times. Had a couple thousand gallons water delivered and I remember that it only increased the water level by a few inches. Figured it up once and I think they have between 13000 and 14000 gallons of storage. The house is 49 years old and they are still using it!

    • @blaccsilverstaff5484
      @blaccsilverstaff5484 Před 3 lety +1

      Cool

    • @iknowheis
      @iknowheis Před rokem

      Hi! What is your folks’ cistern made of? I assume it is covered and has a trap door for cleaning. Is it made from cement?

  • @atraincg1
    @atraincg1 Před 3 lety +5

    Great video. My wife and I are developing our homestead now. Great Q&A. Tons of helpful tips and questions.

  • @marilynd3996
    @marilynd3996 Před 2 lety +2

    Excellent video. Clear, precise, informative. Thanks.

  • @saxyvi
    @saxyvi Před 4 lety +59

    Collecting rainwater in cisterns is standard practice for homes in the Virgin Islands. We usually build the cisterns out of reinforced concrete and they are built as part of the the building's foundation. The cistern's capacity is REQUIRED to be at least 10 gallons for every square foot of roof. Unless there is an extended drought, we never run out of water. Tropical storms and hurricanes do serve a purpose.

    • @slavneslavne
      @slavneslavne Před 2 lety

      What do you use that water for? Do you purify it for drinking?

    • @saxyvi
      @saxyvi Před 2 lety +1

      We use it for bathing, laundry, toilet flushing, washing dishes. All water is filtered. Filter is changed every 3 months. I add bleach to the cistern once a month. Amount is based on how much water is in the cistern at the time. We usually don't drink it, but if we wanted to, we would boil it first.

  • @RedfishInc
    @RedfishInc Před 6 lety +9

    Thanks very much, as usual your willingness to share what you've learned along the way will prove a benefit to others. Good job man!

  • @user-zc9xl4ne3u
    @user-zc9xl4ne3u Před rokem +2

    This is by far THE best video of all the hundreds I have watched on YT. It is well presented, interesting, enjoyable and has given me so many ideas. I already collect and use 1,000's of litres here in the UK. Our water bill is tiny compared to the average. If I lived in the country and not town and I was 40 years younger I would be doing a smaller version. My buddy lives in Ontario Canada and has a huge roof. (7 different aspects) plus a massive typical North American barn. I have been nagging him for years for us to build a water harvest system as he currently uses well water. His wife must use 300 gallons a day watering. Drives me nuts as he is using precious well water plus electric to draw up his water. Madness Love this video

  • @LeandroSilva08
    @LeandroSilva08 Před 2 lety +2

    Man, i just randomly got to this channel and boy I was lucky. if all the other videos are like this one, that is super cool! thanks for sharing!

  • @halepunahodges1337
    @halepunahodges1337 Před 4 lety +73

    Brother, you are doing an outstanding job and God bless you with your work.

  • @chodeshadar18
    @chodeshadar18 Před 4 lety +42

    I really respect your independent spirit and ingenuity! Def thumbs way up!

  • @georgianbents
    @georgianbents Před 3 lety +1

    Well done. Clear, concise and actual real world.

  • @odarrien
    @odarrien Před 2 lety +1

    You have done an amazing job worth this. Outstanding.

  • @christophergrove4876
    @christophergrove4876 Před 7 lety +6

    I'm Canadian, living in Michigan. I don't have much need for a rainwater collection system beyond a couple of rain barrels for the garden BUT your video was fascinating and you kept me up way past my bedtime! Congratulations on such a great system and video!

  • @jamestucker496
    @jamestucker496 Před 5 lety +19

    You graciously and gratefully helped me to plan for my entire house building system!! Thank you so much!

  • @LK-bz9sk
    @LK-bz9sk Před 2 lety +1

    Excellent video and info. Thanks so much. I was looking at tanks today and the prices have shot up since 2017 with all this supply chain stuff we keep hearing about.

  • @psmith4980
    @psmith4980 Před 3 lety +8

    While this video does not apply to my current living situation although I do have a rain barrel, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and listening to your methodical explanation of your system. Your necessary water strategy taps into my joy of using the free gifts of nature.

    • @Beristw
      @Beristw Před rokem

      I like very much how you framed what you have written. I get immense joy from seeing how individuals create comfort for themselves by themselves. (Or on a very small scale, as a small community)

  • @TWalsh-ji7jh
    @TWalsh-ji7jh Před 4 lety +16

    Dude, you are amazingly handy around the house! Nice work.

  • @spiritadvertizing6632
    @spiritadvertizing6632 Před 6 lety +81

    Please be advised, that at sixty years of age and formerly very discouraged, it is most encouraging to listen to a much younger person articulate in such an excellent manner! Thank you. Regards, Gordon C. (Indiana)

    • @MsHojat
      @MsHojat Před 6 lety

      He doesn't look very young. I'd guess between 45 and 55 years old.

    • @dannygjk
      @dannygjk Před 6 lety +2

      I am 57.

    • @eliasmarciano9062
      @eliasmarciano9062 Před 5 lety +1

      As you get older you will probably realize that "young" becomes a moving target, may be it always is. I am in my sixties as well and someone 45 years old is most definitely a (somewhat) young person to me. Besides "spirit advertizing" referred to the OP as "much younger person", a 45 yo is much younger than a 60 yo. Hell, I am in my sixties and when I think of myself I still consider myself (and feel) as "young'ish".........most days anyway........some mornings I feel 85 !!

    • @db4290
      @db4290 Před 5 lety

      Wtf are you all yammering on abt? This dude Gordon is Corn...

  • @p.bateman7033
    @p.bateman7033 Před 2 lety +3

    Outstanding ideas, projects and video presentation. A great use of a natural resource.

  • @Jillian143
    @Jillian143 Před rokem +2

    So encouraged by this. Been thinking of moving back to az from Colorado, Cochise county specifically and have been super worried about getting water on my land. I think this could be the solution! Thank you!

  • @robertmacdonald1102
    @robertmacdonald1102 Před 7 lety +9

    Dune is a book about politics, religion, and ecology.
    It has the highest reward for patience of any book i have ever read.
    Started reading it. Put it down.
    Tried again, got further, put it down again.
    Picked it up again determined to become familiar with it's lingo and finished it with a new outlook on life.

  • @godsangel47
    @godsangel47 Před 4 lety +22

    This is amazing. Props to you for figuring this out and living so independently!

  • @cheesygal
    @cheesygal Před 2 lety +6

    Thank you. We’re hoping to get our rainwater collection up in its earliest stage before monsoon. We’re down in Santa Cruz county. This is good information! It will help our planning.

  • @stuartkorte1642
    @stuartkorte1642 Před 2 lety +2

    Glad I came across this older video. Beneficial First, because the aerial that gives perspective to the shop and house. Also, I want to harvest rain for gardens and lawn irrigation. Your video also got me thinking about feeding the shop sink and an outdoor shower. Thanks.
    p.s. my wife will love the goat introduction video.

  • @SuperMindquake
    @SuperMindquake Před 5 lety +16

    This is an absoluely awesome video. So clearly presented and full of great information. I am very excited and happy that you have been able to accomplish this! Thank you for sharing.

  • @lukebbb
    @lukebbb Před 6 lety +64

    You are one of the reason I love America. I love the independent spirit, the do it yourself attitude, and the no nonsense get it done personality. Big thumbs up for your awesome ingenuity.

    • @jordanbowey4175
      @jordanbowey4175 Před 5 lety +1

      Come to Australia mate. Live outside the big smoke and this is what you’ll be doing

    • @rareview362
      @rareview362 Před 4 lety

      @@ndaemon1718 Well you did makea system that all men can operate in to live. It's not exclusively for you according to your own ideologies like freedom you stole from the Indians just like you stole rock and roll from black people. You're good at stealing and acting as if you are the originators of the innovation but in fact you people hate innovation just like how we have no high speed rail here. Go work on your old car.

  • @PseudoAccurate
    @PseudoAccurate Před 2 lety +3

    Awesome video - great information, presented well, and good editing. Impressive work too, damn.

  • @justrelaxing1501
    @justrelaxing1501 Před 2 lety +1

    Enjoyed your video, I've taken water for just being there and you've taken it to another level. Good job and best of luck

  • @TheKallipugos
    @TheKallipugos Před 7 lety +5

    My 5yr old son and I were watching together and at the end of the video when you requested thumbs up, he prompted stuck his thumbs in the air! Great job as always.

  • @justanotherjoe
    @justanotherjoe Před 5 lety +4

    This is incredible. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing all of this.

  • @MarcShare4Profit
    @MarcShare4Profit Před 2 lety +1

    I love the space you have to create systems like these.

  • @grene1955
    @grene1955 Před 2 lety +17

    This was an amazingly informative video! My wife and I are interested in water harvesting, here in southern Oregon. We get decent rain in the winter, but summers are hot, dry, and sometimes on fire! We are on a well for our house water, but it kills me to see how much rain runs off our barn, and really isn't useful. So thanks for all the great info!

  • @alejandrayalanbowman367
    @alejandrayalanbowman367 Před 7 lety +6

    Hi from Spain
    The house in which I was born in England had no mains water supply. We were fortunate in that we had a well in the side garden that was fed constantly by a spring but the water was very hard and excellent for making tea but useless for washing - soap just turned to scum. So for water for washing purposes we collected it off the roof and stored it in a large tank from which we collected it by dipping in a bucket. The filter was an old sock! That was over 75 years ago and that was the best water I have ever tasted. Great video.

  • @VisualSOLUTIONSMedia
    @VisualSOLUTIONSMedia Před 4 lety +12

    What a great system, and you are to be commended for your dedication and positive attitude!

  • @7josette
    @7josette Před 3 lety +19

    I’m in Washington state and thank you for this video. Giving me a lot of encouragement and faith I can do this.

    • @crystalline72
      @crystalline72 Před 3 lety

      I’m in Washington too in Snohomish working on a rain water systems and OG sanctuary 🤩

    • @nia6849
      @nia6849 Před 3 lety +1

      How many gallons will you collect in a given x day, xmonth, and xyear?

    • @angelacramer644
      @angelacramer644 Před 3 lety

      @@crystalline72 You probably know of Carolyn Eslick!!!

  • @SuperBajafresh
    @SuperBajafresh Před 2 lety +2

    Great Presentation and appreciate you being genuine. Keep going.

  • @Lapeerphoto
    @Lapeerphoto Před 5 lety +3

    Dude, you are rocking it! Great explanation and sharing your thought process

  • @treetop337
    @treetop337 Před 4 lety +4

    Great! Inspirational. I am working on a small rainwater system collection system. Thanks for making this.

  • @satinwhip
    @satinwhip Před 2 lety +3

    I'm amazed that you get enough rain to survive with this system in Arizona. I did not realize it rained that much there. With my average water bill it would take me forty years to pay off that system. Where I live I pray for enough dry days in a row for my yard to dry out enough to mow it.

  • @maamjasmindelacruz8670
    @maamjasmindelacruz8670 Před 3 lety +3

    Really appreciate your honest to goodness video presentation...amazing! God bless you and your family Sir : )

  • @Kikirappergurl
    @Kikirappergurl Před 4 lety +7

    Thank you for having a video that gets to the point. Ramble free!😊

  • @dl7919
    @dl7919 Před 4 lety +8

    As always, your videos are so very impressive with your ingenuity, fantastic builds and the workable concise systems you have created. Thank you for sharing it...You are an inspiration to all!

  • @trex2092
    @trex2092 Před 2 lety +3

    Here in south Alabama, we receive on average over 70 inches per year and take good water for granted, hats off to you for an outstanding collection system. Best regards.

  • @jeffreyobser2660
    @jeffreyobser2660 Před 3 lety

    Wow, this is a great resource. Very well done vids. Thank you so much, I'll be watching several more.

  • @allpropertyvideosdotcomwit3524

    *What I love about this video* is that the whole thing is about the practical day-to-day reality of using water harvesting and storage as your main water source. Many other videos on this subject concentrate on the theory and a bunch of other stuff that's not gonna help you actually do this in the real world. *Great content from The Homesteadonomics Channel!*

    • @barrymcdickface8901
      @barrymcdickface8901 Před 5 lety +1

      I only have rainwater tanks big ones like these as well for 11 years now and I’ve no dams or wells, and I water cattle pigs sheep alpacas chooks and my vege gardens for free.. plus I plant lots of trees, I put in 250 gums the other year for firewood harvesting, so harvesting water is pretty easy, plus I live in a arid area in country Australia where we don’t have a lot of rainfall.. the idea is to buy more tanks and put more collection area in as when you own the resource, you can manage it yourself. Kind of the same as having batteries, when their full, you own what’s in them. When it comes to managing resource.. Gordon Greckos mantra is appropriate.. greed is good. More for me.

  • @Jonzuber
    @Jonzuber Před 3 lety +4

    Your an inspiration to us all. Your rainwater and gray water systems are well thought out.

  • @tomayrscotland6890
    @tomayrscotland6890 Před 2 lety +1

    Just brilliant fella' great video, I live in Scotland and it rains forever here at times. great stuff.

  • @ruthcrawford3015
    @ruthcrawford3015 Před 2 lety +1

    WOWZER! Very impressiive! Thanks for sharing this!

  • @btetschner
    @btetschner Před 4 lety +7

    I am very impressed. Thank you for answering those questions. I found this video to be very inspiring and I wish you the best of luck. Thank you again.

  • @sergiojardon6725
    @sergiojardon6725 Před 6 lety +28

    Sr. you are a great asset for the human race

  • @engelag
    @engelag Před 2 lety +6

    The US Peace Corp found a technique that you might want to try. They found it in Morocco in the mountains - desert mountains. It was done by Berber people for growing fruit trees.

    • @SaltMinerOU812
      @SaltMinerOU812 Před 2 měsíci

      What's the name of the technique how does it work? not enough information

  • @joemato
    @joemato Před rokem +1

    I worked for a water treatment company once and as prevention for UV degradation we paint plastic pipes and tanks and I noticed that it works. Awesome video presentation by the way.

  • @felixmunguti6987
    @felixmunguti6987 Před 4 lety +25

    This is great staff !. Am sure this is helpful to many of us, in some parts of Kenya.

  • @Reality_TV
    @Reality_TV Před 3 lety +5

    This was one of the best videos because it was VERY informative! Thank you so much!

  • @authorcharlieboring
    @authorcharlieboring Před 3 lety +2

    Regarding conservation, I have experience as a child of about 12/13 years old that required water conservation. My parents, brother and sister lived in a 2-room house in dry west Texas. We did not have running water in the house and bathing required the heating of water on the cook stove and a number 3 tub. Bathing was a weekly event and not often enough for my taste. During the blazing hot summer, I rigged a water hose up in a tree and when I came home from my summer job after dark, I showered by wetting my body, turning off the water, soaping down and then rinsing. The water ran off into my garden. This type of conservation effort prepared me for my Army service, when in the field daily sanitation (shaving and washing) was completed with one gallon of water.

  • @obfuscateidentity2329
    @obfuscateidentity2329 Před 2 lety +1

    Very cool. I've been collecting rain water for my garden and it's awesome 😊

  • @rodgoss3630
    @rodgoss3630 Před 4 lety +10

    I like being self-sufficient and watch a lot of how-to videos, this was a very impressive and well done video. No product pushes, just straight forward Q&A. Great info, thanks.

  • @abbysapples1225
    @abbysapples1225 Před 7 lety +3

    Your videos are awesome, I just subscribed. It is not just what you're talking about. It is how you bring the information to the viewer. With a excellent lovable attitude. Thanks. :)

  • @joanne8505
    @joanne8505 Před rokem +4

    Very well explained. I know this video is 5 years old, but we are getting a late start on our homesteading journey. This system is exactly what we are hoping for. We just haven’t decided on the proper placement of the tanks as we are on a sloped property and have to correct erosion issues first. I want to do the rain garden on the lower end of our property with the pond but no way of excavating it properly yet. Everything we do is done by hand. Great content in your video. Thank you.

  • @daveleader1557
    @daveleader1557 Před 4 lety +4

    Good job, man! Just re-affirmed what i thought about installing my own system.
    Thank you

  • @JBSlickflyer
    @JBSlickflyer Před 7 lety +13

    For those worried about getting sick from rain water, my grandparents lived to 81 and 88 on rain water collected in their cistern. No treatment. They just had a simple sand filter in line with the water pump. The cistern was built into the foundation of their home,

    • @PhilVerryChannel
      @PhilVerryChannel Před 6 lety

      What city and state did they live in?

    • @gravelydon7072
      @gravelydon7072 Před 5 lety

      My grandmother lived to be 97. Used cistern water for everything but cooking and drinking. That was what the well water was for.

    • @gravelydon7072
      @gravelydon7072 Před 2 lety

      @Keyzer Soze Try again. The OP who I was replying to talked about his grandparents using cistern water as did mine, my parents, and even myself. We had one pump, one tank, and a change over valve. The rule was one tank full after change over from cistern to well water and then used for drinking water. Nobody ever got sick from the cistern water. And we had no filter on it.

    • @gravelydon7072
      @gravelydon7072 Před 2 lety

      @Keyzer Soze It was still present in the tank with just one filling so it really wasn't out of the system. It just was diluted.

  • @brucerobertson2245
    @brucerobertson2245 Před 2 lety +1

    I live in country NSW Australia and rely solely on rainwater harvesting as well. Because of the heat I put a roof over the concrete tank (100,000) litres and the roof also keeps the water cool, also a collector. Great video and different ideas 💡. Thanks 😊

  • @JohnnyBoi7
    @JohnnyBoi7 Před 2 lety +2

    You are on a god tier of innovation. Hats off to you my friend

  • @bigwheelsturning
    @bigwheelsturning Před 7 lety +10

    I live in a Seattle suburb, and have been flushing my toilet with rainwater for the past 15 years. I have three 55 gallon barrels on a platform behind my house to catch the water off only 1/2 my roof. They are hooked together in a manifold system on the inlet and outlet, so they all fill and drain at the same time. I used a "frost free" hose bib under my toilet, and had to change out the toilet tanks valve to a low flow valve to deal with the very low pressure. It takes about 45 seconds to fill the tank. I use only half my roof, and I calculated that I get 25 gallons of water for each 0.10" of rain. It rained hard this last Thursday (1.3") and it filled my three tanks to over flowing. I usually only have to use my "extra" storage tanks I fill in the winter months once or twice during a dry summer. My Grandparents farm back in Kansas used a system like yours, to fill a cistern, and Grandma would add a bit of bleach to the tank under their house if it smelled like a frog had jumped in. No one ever got sick.

    • @MilesV8
      @MilesV8 Před 6 lety

      Great to hear it works for for you! I'd like to do this but can't in our current house as the setup would be too complicated due to our plumbing. However, we use rainwater for our garden and for washing the car etc.