Traditionally rain water has been one of the few water sources known to usually be clean and safe to drink. Today water harvesters must be wary of pesticide contamination, high mineral levels, bacteria and other impurities in their runoff water. Filtering technologies have been used in the past and today to purify it by passing it through a series of rocks, gravels, and sands to scrub out contaminants. These methods have proven to be very effective.
As rainwater may be contaminated, it is often not considered suitable for drinking without treatment. Open containers should be immediately diverted into gardens or orchard areas to prevent them from being a breeding ground for mosquitoes and bacteria. Since the earth acts as a filtration system for the water, rain water is safe for the garden.
I have had lots of fun catching rain and reusing it in my garden, even if I just dump out a bucket into the garden. That extra water will provide deep water to plants - more so than the rain that fell in my yard. I built my own rain barrels last year and it was so much fun! Here's a few photo's of the ladies who joined me.
Last winter I added a few feet of gutters strategically to further help with rain water management. What I realized after that first rain is that I can now capture more rain than before! My 55 gallon rain barrel runs over - but not to worry as I have an overflow valve that I attach a hose to and I just redirect that water out to a tree which loves the deep watering!
Saving, reusing and redirecting rain water has been one of the smartest thing I did. Now I plant the rain where I want it to go rather than letting it drop wherever it wants. Making your own barrel is not that complex and the parts are now easy to find right here.
If you already rain water harvest please drop me a line and tell me about your experience - I would love to see pictures too! And if you don't, then drop me a line and maybe I can help get you started!
Happy Digging,
Doreen aka the Garden Goddess
For more great gardening resource visit my website at www.down2earthgarden.com
