#rainwater — Public Fediverse posts

🌱💧🌵 Water Harvester: An Invitation to Abundance (27 min, 2022)

Tucson resident Brad Lancaster believes that cities around the world can live off rainwater. This is the story of how he transformed his neighborhood by experimenting with water harvesting, worked with the city to legalize those methods, and empowered others by proving that abundance rooted in sustainability is possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIYoU2PTPLk&list=PLJDYk3Vz9ck1K7gqirk1LDibegFWIUrHM

#waterHarvesting #rainwater #arizona #tuscon #desert #ClimateChange #ClimateResilience #abundance #EnvironmentalRestoration #restoration #RainWater #storm #flood #FloodControl

Research - #RainBarrels and Other Household Stormwater Strategies Are Working — For Now.

May 5, 2026

Excerpt: " 'When we talk about #CircularEconomy, most people think about #recycling waste and materials. But the concept of circular economy also applies to water. Here we're talking about installing #rainwater #cisterns, reusing water from the sink to flush toilets and using water-efficient appliances. While those may seem like small steps at the individual level, we found that if they are widely adopted, they can have a significant collective impact,' said Fernanda Cruz Rios, PhD, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering, who was a co-author of the research. 'They help reduce demand on the municipal supply, and the energy needed to treat and distribute that water. But what we found was that these strategies offer a real double benefit. In areas like #PhiladelphiaPA and #CamdenME, that are particularly vulnerable due to their proximity to large bodies of water, we were able to see a meaningful reduction in flooding volumes when circular water strategies were adopted.'

"Despite the ongoing compliance efforts, the cities of Philadelphia and Camden have around 16 billion gallons of combined #sewer overflow, according to reports from their respective water utilities.

"Over the last two and a half decades, Camden has established a stormwater management plan, including decentralized strategies, an upgrade to #stormwater infrastructure and storm water management modeling. To understand the overall impact of these efforts, in hopes of applying findings to other vulnerable urban areas, the Drexel team created a computer model of stormwater movement using data from Cramer Hill, a neighborhood of Camden in the state’s 'coastal hazard zone' that is highly susceptible to tidal and storm-surge flooding.

"The researchers structured the model so that it could quantify the distinct effects of outdoor strategies (cisterns and rain barrels) and indoor strategies — efficient fixtures and reusing sink wash water (#greywater) for toilet flushing. It simulated and measured the effect of 16 different combinations of strategies, ranging from rain barrels of different sizes, to varying levels of adoption of water-efficient fixtures and greywater reuse.

"Each scenario was simulated using precipitation and tidal data from 2014 as a baseline and flooding measurements projected at locations across the neighborhood and at five stormwater outfall areas that contribute to combined sewer overflow discharges into the #DelawareRiver.

The results show that the combination of retrofitting homes with #WaterEfficientFixtures as well as installing rain barrels and practicing greywater reuse, when adopted by 75% of households, could reduce the volume of combined sewer overflows by as much as 11% and the volume of #floodwaters by up to 13%.

" 'This finding is an important and encouraging piece of information for municipalities that are facing similar challenges,' Marques said. 'Although broad adoption of these measures can be challenging to achieve, confirmation of its effectiveness may help to make the case.' "

Read more:
https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2026/May/decentralized-stormwater-management-coastal-urban-areas-combined-sewer

#SolarPunkSunday #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Graywater #StormwaterSeparation #StormwaterReduction #WaterCisterns #UrbanPlanning #WaterUse #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange

Rainwater Harvesting In The UK
https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/rainwater-harvesting-information/rainwater-harvesting-information

#SolarPunkSunday #RainWater #Rain #RainWaterHarvesting #UK

Prickly pears, avocados and lemons: how #rainwater harvesting is feeding #MexicoCity ’s gardens and homes

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jul/20/rainwater-harvesting-mexico-city-transforming-lives

Curb cuts for #rainwater runoff access >>

FREE Water was ILLEGAL…He Changed That… - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ-jdUGCxcc

We survived Day 1 of the #HeatDome. Temps were in the low-90's and very humid. Living room was down to 77 with the portable A/C running for a couple of hours (mostly for the doggo, though we enjoyed it). The exhaust tube was getting a bit too hot for my comfort level, so now it's back to the fans. Tomorrow is supposed to be 100 F. I just watered both gardens -- nothing is wilting... yet. Used only collected #rainwater for watering. And bonus -- I salvaged a #Turmeric plant that was growing in a #Compost pile!

#HeatWaveGardening #CommunityGardening #ClimateChangeGardening

#HarvestingRainwater with Brad Lancaster: How to Create Livable Desert Cities

by Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't
Jun 9, 2026

Part 1 of a 3 Video Series

"In this episode we see the incredible work that Brad Lancaster and his community are doing to make the #DunbarSpring Neighborhood in #TucsonAZ a cooler, more pleasant and human-friendly place to live by using plants as infrastructure and creating a #FoodForest using #NativePlants that are adapted to deal with the desert heat perfectly because they evolved there.

"This video shows us how what Brad and his community have done serve as a model as to what could be down to make cities all over the globe more livable, illustrating how human development and nature do not have to be mutually exclusive. Filming this video and seeing that Brad and his people have done made me feel in something I haven't felt in a long time : hope."

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN6t8xwpYZ8

#SolarPunkSunday #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Rainwater #GreenerCities #Basins #NativeVegetation #WaterStructures #LocalEcology #HeatIslands

Harvesting Rainwater with Brad Lancaster: How to Create Livable Desert Cities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN6t8xwpYZ8 #Rainwater #Xeriscaping #Gardening

Storing Rain in Garden Fences

https://suzannesmomsblog.com/2026/06/07/storing-rain-in-garden-fences/

RHS: 12 ways to grow a low-carbon garden
https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardening-for-the-environment/low-carbon-gardening/the-low-carbon-garden

#SolarPunkSunday #Gardening #Gardens #LowCarbonGardening #Hedges #Trees #TapestryLawns #Compost #RainWater #Plants #Ponds #RHS

Building #Resilience in Your #Garden for Challenges

April 17, 2024 by Hellen James

"Gardening can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges. From unpredictable weather patterns to pests and diseases, maintaining a thriving garden requires resilience. In this article, we’ll explore practical strategies to build resilience in your garden, ensuring it can withstand whatever challenges come its way.

Takeaways
1. Choose resilient plant varieties suited to your climate and soil conditions.
2. Improve soil health with #compost, #WormCastings, and cover crops to support plant resilience.
3. Implement water-efficient strategies such as #DripIrrigation and #rainwater harvesting to conserve water.
4. Utilize #NaturalPestControl methods like introducing beneficial insects and #CompanionPlanting.
5. Adapt to changing climate conditions by incorporating climate-resilient gardening practices.
6. Plan and prepare for each season to optimize plant growth and resilience.
7. Foster #biodiversity through companion planting and native plant selections to enhance garden resilience.
8. Create microclimates to tailor growing conditions to the specific needs of your plants.
9. #Mulch to suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, and retain moisture for improved resilience.
10. Embrace #SustainableGardening practices to build long-term #resilience and environmental #stewardship.

Full article:
https://unifiedgarden.com/building-resilience-in-your-garden-for-challenges/

#SolarPunkSunday #GardeningChallenges #ClimateChangeGardening #EnvironmentalStewardship #RainwaterHarvesting #BuildingResiliency #FoodSecurity

The Sands of Time & Water

#sand #rainwater

Hydrangeas will grow a beautiful bright blue if you water with 1 thing https://www.allforgardening.com/1705568/hydrangeas-will-grow-a-beautiful-bright-blue-if-you-water-with-1-thing/ #advice #AluminiumSulphate #BlueHydrangeas #fertiliser #flowers #garden #gardeners #gardening #GardeningCanada #gardens #hack #HydrangeaFertiliser #hydrangeas #rain #rainwater #SoilPH #spring #tip #watering

My solar powered water pump has finally stopped working, the silicone tubing in the peristaltic pump has degraded and started to leak.

Considering this version has been outside since 2023 and has been pumping unfiltered rain water I think it's done pretty well.

The good news is that if I replace the silicone tubing Ill be able to rebuild it and get it working again. I might simplify the control circuitry as it got a bit complicated.

Then it can get back to helping me avoid carrying water up from the bottom to the top as it's a 2.5M climb and I'm a little lazy.

#solarpanel #rainwater #Rainwaterharvesting

The #depaving groups reclaiming #UrbanGreenSpace

by Jennifer Cole, Mar 21, 2026

"It took two years, but finally, in 2025, Jean Norwood’s dream of turning the parking lot at #MorningstarMissionary Baptist Church in #PortlandOR, into a play area for children and a #FoodGarden with #FruitTrees came true. Working with Norwood to bring her vision to reality was #DepavePortland. Since 2008, the Portland-based nonprofit has been digging up paved surfaces, freeing the trapped soil underneath and #regreening the newly reclaimed space.

"There are an estimated 2 billion parking places in the United States, an area comparable in size to the entire state of Vermont. That figure does not include #sidewalks, schoolyards or other paved surfaces, which, along with #CarParks, trap heat, intensifying the urban #HeatIsland effect in some cases by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit compared with surrounding areas. '#Asphalt makes your space hotter in the summertime, and colder in the wintertime,' Norwood says.

"When asphalt is removed and the soil beneath is exposed, those dynamics begin to reverse. The ground can absorb and store #carbon, and #rainwater is able to filter into the soil rather than running off into sewers. #Trees and #gardens can be planted that provide shade and a #habitat is created for #birds, #insects and other #wildlife.

"This was Norwood’s dream for the parking lot at Morningstar. Going from concrete to fruit trees, though, takes patience. 'First,' she says, 'there was about six months of planning and submitting requests for permitting.'

"Depave guided Norwood and the church through all of it, even seeking out grants to help cover costs. When it came time to depave the parking lot, volunteers recruited by Depave used crowbars, shovels, bare hands and wheelbarrows to lift out the pavement and daylight the soil beneath. Depave also worked with Morningstar on finding contractors to build the play area and raised #GardenBeds, and on choosing the plants for each newly #regreened space. It’s a process Depave has perfected at more than 82 sites across Portland."

https://www.rewildingmag.com/the-depaving-groups-reclaiming-urban-green-space/

#SolarPunkSunday #MoreGreenCities #GreenerCities #RewildingCities #MoreParksLessParkingLots #WildlifeHabitat

How moss could help roads cope with heavy rain, reduce pollution

Som countries are experimenting with #moss in built-up areas to absorb air #pollution. As countries search for #nature-based solutions to #climate and #environmental challenges, #roadside moss is starting to attract attention

Moss could offer environmental benefits over grass, from trapping air pollution to slowing #rainwater runoff during heavy storms.

https://theconversation.com/how-moss-could-help-roads-cope-with-heavy-rain-and-reduce-air-pollution-277686?utm_medium=mastodon_fediverse

#natural #ClimateChange #GlobalWarming

#Rainwater Collecting Laws for Each State

A full list of the laws for rainwater harvesting by each state supported by links to current state legislation, government websites, and Senate, House, and Assembly Bills.

Jeremiah Zac, Updated: February 18, 2026

https://worldwaterreserve.com/is-it-illegal-to-collect-rainwater/

#US #SolarPunkSunday #RainwaterCollection #Rainbarrels #HarvestingRainwater #WaterIsLife

100-Year-Old Way to Filter #Rainwater in a Barrel

by Linda Holliday
February 25, 2015

"During our boiling, broiling, blistering summer of 2012 here in the Missouri Ozarks, water was a topic of conversation wherever we went. Creeks and ponds dried up (some never recovered) and the water table dropped, forcing a few neighbors to have their well pumps lowered or to even have deeper wells drilled.

"Many folks shared memories of rain barrels, cisterns, hand pumps and drawing water with a well bucket as a child, usually on grandpa and grandma’s farm. Some said they’d never want to rely again on those old-time methods of getting water. But, at least they knew how it was done.

"It seems we have lost much practical knowledge in the last 50 or so years because we thought we’d never need it again. Now we are scrambling to relearn those simple know-hows.

"A tattered, 4-inch thick, 1909 book I happily secured for $8 in a thrift store reveals, among umpteen-thousand other every-day skills, how to make homemade water filters. The instructions in 'Household Discoveries and Mrs. Curtis’s Cookbook' are quite basic as everyone had a rain barrel back then and presumably knew how to clean the water. Now, 104 years later, I am thankful the authors had the foresight to preserve their knowledge for us, and pointed out that rainwater collected in barrels from a roof is a necessity in some locations, but also is best for laundry and 'often more wholesome for drinking purposes than hard water.' "

Learn more:
https://www.askaprepper.com/way-filter-rainwater-barrel/

#SolarPunkSunday #WaterFiltration #Rainwater #RainwaterCollection #WaterIsLife #WaterSystems #OldSchoolTechnology #NeoLuddite #OldWays

#Cistern #WaterSystems: How They Work and Why They’re Useful

By Robert Maxwell
Updated on Sep. 26, 2025

"Has your interest in alternative water systems made you ask, what is a cistern? Read on to learn about this ancient way to store and supply water.

The basic idea of a cistern water system, which collects and stores water in or near a home, goes back centuries. In some parts of #WesternAsia, archeologists discovered lime plaster cisterns in the floors of houses that were at least 5,000 years old. Ancient #Romans also used cisterns beneath their houses to catch, filter and store #rainwater.

A cistern is a closed tank, somewhat like a septic tank, but the similarities end there. Instead of sewage, it collects rainwater for household use or irrigation. A home with a well might have a large tank to store water to prevent the well pump from having to work all the time. In some cases, you could consider that tank a cistern, but according to longtime plumber Danny Pen, most cisterns are buried."

Read more:
https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/what-is-a-cistern-water-system/

#SolarPunkSunday #AncientTechnology #ModernAdaptations #Cistern #WaterIsLife #RainwaterCollection #RainwaterCisterns

Or one could #DIY... I keep one of my rainbarrels on a platform, and it helps with water flow!

Best Stands for #RainBarrels to Maximize #WaterHarvesting

Post published:February 13, 2026

"Raising a rain barrel off the ground improves access to the spigot, enhances drainage, and protects the barrel from damp ground. This guide highlights reliable stands designed for 45, 50, and 55-gallon barrels, focusing on durability, load capacity, and weather resistance. The selections below draw from top-rated options that balance robustness with practical design, helping you choose a stand that fits your weather, terrain, and watering needs."

Learn more (Contains affiliate links):
https://theyogicgarden.com/best-stand-for-rain-barrel/

#SolarPunkSunday #WaterHarvesters #RainwaterCollection #RainwaterHarvesting #WaterCollection #Gardening #Rainwater #WaterIsLife

Some good tips here...

How to Set Up a #RainwaterCollection System & 8 #DIY Ideas

Written by Author Lindsay Sheehan Published on March 26, 2021

"This technology can be traced back some 12,000 years in human history, and it makes just as much sense today to take advantage of a precious resource that freely falls from above.

The simplest #RainwaterHarvesting system involves a basic #RainBarrel situated next to your home.

[...]

Gutters made from coated aluminum and vinyl are the best choice for rainwater collection. Galvanized steel gutters are suitable for non-potable systems.

Avoid using gutters made with copper or lead materials."

Learn more:
https://www.ruralsprout.com/rainwater-collection/

#SolarPunkSunday #Rainwater #WaterIsLife #WaterHarvesters #RainHarvest #ClimateChangeGardening

So, before I start posting about #RainwaterCollection and #RainwaterHarvesting, I wanted to point out that while collecting rainwater is legal in most countries (though there can be local restrictions/regulations), there are some states in the #UnitedStates that restrict or prohibit #Rainwater collection.

Can You Go To Jail for Collecting Rainwater?

By Kiersten Hickman
Updated on Nov. 24, 2023

It's fine in most states, but some have stricter rules!

"While most states permit rainwater harvesting and some even encourage it, other states have specific rules and regulations around the topic. These states specify the uses of the water. For example, if the water can be collected for “non-potable” purposes, it means the water is not suitable for drinking but can be used for other things. Potable means it’s safe for drinking, cooking and bathing.

Here are a few with specific rules governing rainwater harvesting.

- #Alaska (rainwater okay, but groundwater is regulated)
- #Arkansas (legal with some regulation)
- #California (legal unless using it for landscaping)
- #Colorado (limited to 110 gallons per day)
- #Illinois (legal with some regulation)
- #Kansas (#WaterRights required, except for domestic use)
- #Louisiana (#cisterns must have covers)
- #Nevada (used to be illegal, but is legal with some restrictions
- #NorthCarolina (regulated)
- #Ohio (regulated for drinking)
- #Oregon (no longer illegal)
- #Texas (regulated)
- #Utah (rules about amounts)
- #WashingtonState (strict rules)

Learn more:
https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/collecting-rain-water-in-these-states-could-be-illegal/

More about the status of individual states:
https://4perfectwater.com/blog/rainwater-harvesting-laws

#SolarPunkSunday #WaterIsLife #WaterCollection #UnitedStates

SimplyInfo.org: 15th Anniversary Report #FukushimaDaiichi

March 2, 2026

Excerpt: "This TV Asahi investigative report from March 2025 [linked below] paints a sobering picture of the enormous challenges still facing the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi, fourteen years after the accident. While #TEPCO achieved a milestone the previous November by extracting roughly 0.7 grams of #NuclearFuel debris for the first time, experts interviewed for the piece emphasized that debris removal is just one piece of a far more complex puzzle. Around 1,000 fuel assemblies
still remain in the spent fuel pools of Units 1 and 2, untouched since the accident, and officials from the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation (#NDF) described clearing these pools as the single most urgent priority — in part because another
#earthquake or #tsunami could strike at any time.

"Before large-scale debris removal can even begin, the area around the reactor buildings must be cleared of heavily contaminated structures and exhaust stacks to make room for the massive equipment required. Because humans cannot safely approach the highly radioactive debris, all removal work must be done remotely. Radiation levels outside the buildings remain dangerously high — a dosimeter near #Unit2 showed particularly elevated readings — and contaminated water continues to be generated at a rate of roughly 80 tons per day as #rainwater and #groundwater contact radioactive materials on site, despite TEPCO having already released about 80,000 tons of treated [but still radioactive] water into the ocean.

"Perhaps the most troubling concern raised in the article is what happens to the debris and #RadioactiveWaste after it is removed. Hiroshi Miyano, chairman of the Decommissioning Review Committee of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, was blunt in his criticism, saying no serious thought has been given to managing this waste over the coming century or two.

"The Fukushima debris is uniquely complicated because it is a mixture of melted nuclear fuel and structural materials, and experts warned that removal may not even be possible until a concrete disposal plan is in place. General decommissioning superintendent Toyoshi Fukada warned that without proper storage facilities ready in advance, the entire decommissioning effort could eventually grind to a halt simply because there would be nowhere to put the waste."

Read more:
https://simplyinfo.org/2026/03/simplyinfo-org-15th-anniversary-report-fukushima-daiichi/

Asashi investigative report [pdf]:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ysaf6a7hj62286sv4hoql/alps_water_d250130_14-j_translated.pdf?rlkey=3u397ndoafdtiq6fgjczg4a74&st=845tdf30&dl=0

#FukushimaIsntOver #TEPCOLies #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #NuclearPlants #NuclearDisaster #Remember311