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Rain Water Conservation/Harvesting Plan for NCSSM. Drought!. As of October 2 nd 2007, the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory council declared that Durham was one of the counties experiencing an “exceptional drought.” As of January 29 th , 2008, that status has not changed.
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Drought! • As of October 2nd 2007, the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory council declared that Durham was one of the counties experiencing an “exceptional drought.” • As of January 29th, 2008, that status has not changed. • NCSSM has continually been making efforts to decrease its water consumption. • Why not take advantage of a natural (albeit rare because of the drought) renewable resource?
Rain Water Harvesting Facts • Rain water harvesting is the storage of accumulated rain water (simplest definition). • Rain water harvesting is often used in drylands and arid areas. China, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand all harvest rain water runoff from roofs (rooftop rainwater harvesting). • Rain water itself is fairly safe, but because airborne pollutants can cause adverse effects, high-quality filtration systems are needed to render rain water drinkable. • However, the rain gathered from rain harvesting and rain conservation is not only limited to being used as drinking water. It is generally used as domestic water (or water used for things such as running washing machines and watering the lawn).
Ways to Harvest Rain water • Rain can be harvest in two main ways; from catching runoff from roofs and from cisterns and rain barrels installed above and/or below ground level.
Suggested Locations for Cisterns on NCSSM campus Behind the gym? On Reynold’s lawn?
Bibliography • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainwater_harvesting • http://www.harvesth2o.com/faq.shtml#1 • http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/misinfo/index.htm • http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/water/overview.php • Information on the safety of rain water: • http://rps.uvi.edu/CES/CESWQ/wqpresentations/Drinking%20Water/frame.html