2. Rainwater Catchment
WHAT IS RAINWATER CATCHMENT? WHY SHOULD WE COLLECT RAINWATER? RAIN BARRELS
Rainwater Catchment is Rainwater collection is older than the Roman Rain barrels are just that, a barrel to catch
saving normally wasted water Empire, and is growing in popularity as people the rainwater coming off your roof. They
and reusing it for irrigation or look for ways to use water resources more are inexpensive, easy to install and
other non-potable (non- wisely. Monterey County would like to promote maintain, and good for small scale
drinkable) uses. We can rainwater collection to help stretch our limited residential sites. They typically hold from
reuse rainwater, graywater water supplies. When 50 to 300 gallons, and are mostly used for
and reclaimed water if we you install a watering plants.
follow some simple rules. rainwater catchment
system at home, you SYSTEM COMPONENTS
SOURCES OF NON-POTABLE WATER are helping to
A rain barrel should have:
maintain the beauty
R
!" AINWATER: Water that falls as rain, !" spigot and/or a hose bibb (1) so that
A
and health of your
and then is collected as catchment you can access the water;
property, and of the
water from your roof or other hard !" overflow pipe (2) routed away from
An
Monterey Bay region.
surfaces. the house;
By collecting and using rainwater you are:
!" RAYWATER : Wastewater from
G !" sealed and screened lid (3) with an
A
!"Slowing downspout water run-off and
bathroom sinks, showers, baths, opening for your drainpipe; and
reducing peak storm water flows;
laundry or car washes. See !"Screens on all vents (4).
!"Reducing the volume of drinking water used
www.EcoAct.org for more information for non-potable uses such as irrigation; and
on using graywater. !"Saving money by reducing the amount of
B
!" LACKWATER: Wastewater from your water you have to buy from the water
toilet, kitchen sink or dishwasher. company.
Blackwater may not be reused without
municipal treatment at the local GETTING STARTED
sewage plant.
R
!" ECLAIMED W ATER : Municipally Rainwater can be collected from most types of
treated sewage that meets California rooftops. Roofs painted with lead-based paint
or paint containing fungicide would have to be
regulations for reuse as landscape
recoated with paint approved for the intended See www.WaterAwareness.org for a list of
irrigation.
use. The first step is to clean your roof, local places that sell rain barrels.
disconnect your downspout, and connect it to a
storage container. Your storage container NOTE: No permit is required for a rain
Rainwater Rooftop Catchment Estimation:
Avg rooftop of 1500 Sq Ft x Avg rainfall in needs an overflow pipe, which should be barrel. A rain barrel should never be
Monterey of 15 in/yr = 14,027 gallons/yr routed away from the house. connected to your home’s plumbing.