permaculture

["Wordgarden" <wordgarden@iinet.net.au>]

G'day,

>
> BTW the docs in the conference link posted recently tend to converge on
> diverting the first .5 - 2.5 mm of rainfall as "roof wash water."
Depending
> on context, of course... ;-)
>

An interesting discussion of this point at:
http://saferain.hypermart.net/roofwasher.htm

The "saferain" contraption mentioned in this website appears to be an
increasingly popular fitting; a major tank manufacturer in Western Australia
offers it as an accessory. (I'm not sure if we can "appropriate the
technology", but it doesn't seem too complicated.)



I guess the original theme of this thread was safety of _urban_ rooftop
catchment, but in rural Western Australia drinking rainwater caught on the
roof is so normal and uncontroversial  that this discussion has really
opened my eyes about views in other parts of the world.

>[New Zealanders] 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... :-)

Used to be, but electric pressure pumps seem to be the norm now...

cheers,
Robert