Rainwater collection is becoming more and more important. Water restrictions around the world are becoming more stringent. Useable water is becoming a precious resource. As a result, equipment to collect rainwater are more available, and less expensive. Especially for residential applications.
Being aware of the water wastage and under-usage in your home, is also important.
Using “grey water” on your garden is a touchy subject in many municipalities, therefore, some precautions should be taken. Also, grey water may have pathogens and not friendly bugs, so precautions should be taken. Regardless of municipality regulations. However, pouring the remaining water out of your drinking bottle into a container for the garden plants, rather than down the drain, could better use that clean water.
Rainwater collection can be as easy as adding a rain barrel next to the downspout of your eavestrough. Then connecting the downspout and barrel with a diverter. It is amazing how much rainwater can be collected off even a small roof. That water is then available for use in the garden.
Completely automated systems are also available. Like the one below, they include underground holding tanks, monitoring systems and the works. They can even be controlled from your phone.
