What’s Up….
Rainwater!
On southern Vancouver Island after the summer of 2015 you may be thinking a lot about water. You may be thinking of water security for your food garden in the face of drought, or perhaps an emergency source to draw upon after an earthquake, or a back up source for fire suppression. Perhaps decreasing your reliance on piped water support your values? Rain water capture and storage may be your opportunity to meet one of these needs.
What’s Down…
Groundwater
What about if your well just sucks (or more descriptively doesn’t suck that much). If your well’s recharge rate is low (under 3 GPM) it will hinder efforts to grow a garden. With low flow rates it becomes impossible to pull the flow and volume required to service irrigation demands. There can be a feasible solution – perhaps a storage cistern that slowly tops up from the well over a long period of time can provides a reserve that allows you to irrigation at the flow rates, volumes and pressures demanded.
Worried about Chlorine…
and chloramine
Municipal water systems must ensure the safety for all, therefore when supply lines are long, they need to ensure residual protection with chloramine in the water supply. What does this treated water do to your soils and microbes? It is thought that chlorinated waters allow the soils to dry out quicker, stunting the soil food web. Rainwater for irrigation is a fresh alternative, keeping soils and all their residents better hydrated.
Contact Gord to help assess your needs. gord@rainwaterBC.com
