Although a growing number of people in Central Texas are incorporating a rainwater system into new construction, many, if not most systems, are installed after the home or business is constructed.
The system at the home and studio of Blanco County artist Kathleen Marie Wilson and husband Jeff Gray is a testament to creativity and ingenuity in adapting to an existing structure. But the challenges were not limited to integration with existing structures - the couple also had to deal with a steeply sloping site with few flat areas and the need to use much of that flat space to add a studio/gallery.
Those familiar with the lay of the land around Flat Creek at FM 3232, where their home is located, know how challenging that terrain is.
In 1994 they began the system, actually picking up where a previous owner left off. There were three old 2,500 gallon galvanized tanks that had previously been used to store rainwater, but were never plumbed to the house.
They had the water in those tanks tested and found it to be clean and free of any e. coli, unlike the water in the soon-to-fail well that was subsequently abandoned.
The house was re-guttered and the tanks were plumbed together, but two of the tanks soon failed, so a new, 4,200 gallon steel tank was added.
A box style "roof washer" serves half of the roof and feeds the remaining galvanized tank while an innovative use of screen mesh is employed to capture roof debris from the other half that feeds the new tank.
The collection system on the woodworking shop came next.
The shop was there but they had to add eaves to the steel building in order to install gutters. This was quite a job.
The gutters on that 1,800 square foot roof feed into an 8,400 gallon steel tank. Because the shop is still further down the hill, a pump was added so the captured water could be fed into the house tanks when needed. The elevation drop from the house tank to the shop tank is approximately 25 feet. The shop tank is also used to water the garden and maintain a small pond installed for wildlife as well as the pleasure of the resident Labrador retriever.
The studio system came third (now also incorporating a greenhouse and art gallery). The capture job was made easier by the lean-to style roof, but with the studio and its 3,000 gallon plastic tank located below the house, there was no way to get the water uphill without adding a third pumping system.
Kathleen wanted to keep this system passive gravity feed and off the grid. The water is used primarily to water plants in the greenhouse, a container vegetable garden, potted plants around the studio and water for the dogs (a stock tank will soon be added to capture the overflow from the water tank).
Gravity can be used to transfer water from the studio tank to the lower shop tank via garden hose as the bottom of the studio tank is on the same elevation as the gutters of the shop. The woodworking shop is directly below the studio.
The system now features a total of 18,100 gallons of storage and a bit over 3,400 square feet of collection surface. That collection surface allows the tanks to be filled on about 7.5 inches of rain.
In addition to collecting and using rainwater, grey water is used for some of the non-potable outdoor water needs. Like most rainwater dependent folks, Jeff and Kathleen have found that they are far more conscious than average of water use. They report no "extreme" conservation measures.
Given the size of their system, there is really no need for such measures.
Jeff and Kathleen are delighted with their rainwater system and would never consider going back to the inferior well water. They hope to see many others in this area enjoying the benefits of the superior quality and sustainability that come with rainwater harvesting.
Oh yes, about those two old tanks that rusted out after who knows how many years - they are still giving useful service. They now serve as a storage shed for firewood and such!
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