As of 2019, an average US family of four pays about $72.93 for water, assuming each member used 100 gallons (378.54 liters) per day. This is money they can save if the family can make use of rainwater. They no longer have to turn on the faucet to get water—they only need to collect rainwater they can use for different purposes.
Collecting rainwater is only possible if you have a gutter and rainwater tank system. These systems allow you to collect rainwater, and you’ll need more dedicated equipment if you’re looking to use rainwater for more than gray water needs. And to collect a decent volume of rainwater good for use, you have to clean your gutters regularly. You can do this yourself, but it’s best if you reach out to a company that offers gutter cleaning services. Regular gutter and tank cleaning are how you ensure that the rainwater you collect is safe. Otherwise, it will bring health issues to you and your family.
Increasing Costs
Food, clothes, and other necessities have become so expensive nowadays that people need to be practical and thrifty. People should do everything they can to save money for the more important things such as conserving water. Rainwater is free, and everyone must take advantage of it every time it rains because it saves them a few dollars. However, in storing rainwater, you must also know the measures you need to take to ensure that it won’t be the breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Collecting rainwater might be a nuisance to you, but you’ll see its benefits once you see a lower water bill. The money you have saved now goes to more important bills such as groceries, electricity, or shopping. You shouldn’t think about how much of a nuisance it is because it’s one of the most practical things you can practice. All you need is a pail or a basin to collect rainwater whenever it’s raining.
Rainwater may not be completely clean, seeing as it goes through your gutter first. That’s why if you intend to use the water for consumption, it should go through filtration first to ensure its cleanliness and safety.
Moreover, here are a few ways on how you can make use of rainwater:
Watering Plants
If you’re watering plants every day, then you might be spending a lot of money on water. Use the rainwater that you have collected and use it by watering your plants. However, if you’re watering plants for consumption, it might be smart to filter the water first because it might threaten your health.
You can put the rainwater inside a large barrel. Ensure that it has a lid because mosquitoes can live in uncovered stagnant cover and bring dengue and other diseases. This can also potentially harm your plants.
Flushing the Toilet
People use about 1.28 gallons of water per flush. This is a lot of water, considering the number of people in your home and how many times they use the toilet daily. With rainwater, you don’t need to use this much water. You can keep a small pail of rainwater in your bathroom so that it’s ready when you use it.
Outdoor Chores
One outdoor chore many dread doing is washing vehicles as this chore uses a lot of water. According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, a car uses 70 gallons (264.98 liters) of water per wash. If you have more than one vehicle, this will increase. Think about the water bill you’ll be paying if you use regular water for washing more than one vehicle of yours. On some occasions, maybe the rainwater you collect won’t be enough to wash one or two cars. At least you saved water.
For Pools and Fountains
If you have a fountain and a pool, you can use rainwater for it as well. The rainwater must go through a filtration system, especially if you’re collecting it for your pool. This ensures the collected rainwater is safe for everyone. As for the fountain, rainwater doesn’t need to go through a filtration system because you won’t use it for consumption.
If you have a large pool, the rainwater you have might not be enough to fill the whole space, but that’s fine as long as you can save water.
Water for Animals
Rainwater can be used as drinking water for your animals as long as they go through a filtration system. Just like using the rainwater for the pool and the plants, unfiltered rainwater can harm them.
Water is one necessity that the world can never live without. Preservation is always the key to making sure that people still have access to this in the future. In addition, in case of water shortage, the collected rainwater will serve as your safety net. You’ll thank yourself when this eventually happens.
