Rainwater Collection

Maybe, as some predict, fresh water will become the next oil in terms of being a necessary but limited resource. However, even if that turns out to be hyperbole, regional droughts will always be with us. That means that at some point many people will be forced to conserve water.

"The population is growing, but the water supply is not," says Bill Hoffman, a coordinator for the City of Austin Water Conservation Program, in Texas. That's why people around the country are turning to the centuries–old practice of collecting rain as an alternative source of water.

By collecting rain from a roof during wet months and storing it in a tank or cistern, homeowners can create an alternative supply that won't tax the groundwater or jack up the water bill.

And because rain doesn't contain the minerals found in wells or the chlorine in municipal supplies, it's ideal for watering the lawn, washing the car, doing the laundry, taking a shower—even drinking if it's properly filtered.

"Rainwater is the purest water you can find," says Dr. Hari Krishna, president of the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA).

A rainwater-collection system can be as simple as a rain barrel at the end of a downspout or as elaborate as a whole–house system, which supplies all the water needs for my family of four in the Texas Hill Country. Cost and complexity depend on how much water you need and how you plan to use it.

More: Cranky Goat's Lifestyle Blog: Rain Barrels - Harvesting Mother Nature...