permaculture

["John Schinnerer" <john@eco-living.net>]

Aloha,

> I can see justifying the expense of rainwater impoundment in specialised
> circumstances, ... But I don't think rainwater
> detention's going to be a big solution for most of us.

Seems to depend on what we're "used to" where we grew up/live...

The so-called "unimproved" subdivisions in East Hawai'i are pretty much all on
catchment.  Thousands of systems, plenty in use for decades now.  Multiple
catchment water system contractors in business on the island.  I've also seen
an example of a huge old system on a ranch upland of N. Kona/S. Kohala (Pu'u
Wa'a Wa'a ranch) - multiple tens of thousands of gallons storage tanks.  They
used to run the whole ranch off it - had to, back when, and it worked.

So there, catchment is no strange new beast, it's just "how things are."

I've seen some areas of rural New Zealand (small towns on the East Cape) that
use household-scale catchment...reminded me of Hawai'i except they were
smarter there, put at least a small tank up high for gravity feed to house
taps.  I've heard same is used various parts of Australia (Aussies please
chime in... :-)

I second Kelly's thoughts on the "true cost" of municipal water systems.  I
expect it would cost even more when every trench has to be dug in solid lava
rock with a hoe-ram, as they would on much of the Island.  Meanwhile, a
typical contractor-built household catchment system in East Hawai'i probably
runs about $2000-$5000 depending on tank type and size, accessories/options,
designed lifespan and so on.  If more DIY, and gravity-fed, can be even less
expensive.

That doesn't mean everyone there likes catchment, mind you.  There is plenty
of agitation for "municipal" water systems in the subdivisions (but not by
me... ;-).



John Schinnerer - MA, Whole Systems Design
------------------------------------------
- Eco-Living -
Cultural & Ecological Designing
People - Place - Learning - Integration
john@eco-living.net
http://eco-living.net