I have spoken before about the importance of harvesting rainwater in your garden. Collecting rainwater from the roof of your home, and any other garden structures, is a great way to make sure you catch and store this precious natural resource.
Our private water supply (which comes onto our property from the surrounding estate, from a source a couple of miles away) has run rather dry recently, after a period of dry weather. Though the supply has been refreshed to boost it during the dry period, and seems to be running fine again now, this just goes to show how important it is to make sure we have sustainable water systems.
Those with mains water supplies rarely think about this issue. But no matter where we live, it is important to think about managing this resource well, and catching and retaining as much water on our properties as possible. Even when water flows freely from our taps, harvesting as much rainwater as possible is one important way to build resilience in our gardens (and perhaps even, with appropriate filtration, for our homes).
Remember, however, that catching the rainwater from your roof and other built structures is just the beginning. We also need to think about what happens with that water next. And about how to catch and store water within the plants and soil in the landscape.
For a little inspiration about how to manage rainwater collected on your property, you might find it helpful to read this recent article I wrote for ‘Treehugger’:
https://www.treehugger.com/elizabeth-waddington-5074662
If you would like more help to decide how to direct rainwater collected on your property, please do get in touch to discuss a design.
EWSP Consultancy 