Rainwater Harvesting
Water is scarce in the Hill Country, despite being one of the most flood-prone regions in the nation. When we take water from surface and underground sources, we are depleting our river systems and endangering fish and wildlife. An effective, desirable and responsible alternative is rainwater harvesting.We value rainwater for its purity and softness. Groundwater, aside from being a limited resource, is generally "hard" in this area, coating dishes, plumbing, hair and clothes with mineral residue. Often, it doesn't even taste or smell good.
A properly designed and installed rainwater harvesting system can provide good, clear, safe water for potable and non-potable use. In addition to providing water superior to other water available in the Hill Country, a rainwater
system is actually highly drought tolerant. Because it collects the rain so efficiently, even a light rain can make a big contribution to your water storage!
Recent News:
March 11, 2010
TRCA 2010 State Conference, March 12-13 in Kerrville
The mission of the Texas Rainwater Catchment Association is to provide Texas citizens with credible information and resources on rainwater collection, to promote the advancement of rainwater conservation and to work with state, county and other local government units in promoting rainwater catchment. The agenda of this conference has been put together with that mission in mind. - Details and Registration
February 6, 2010
Bandera settles with business refusing water
A two-year standoff is ending between the city and a businesswoman who refused to take municipal water because she'd installed a rainwater catchment system on her new building. Read full SA Express article here.
August 18, 2009
Drop in time
A one-inch rain falling on a 1,000-square-foot roof yields 600 gallons of water — a bounty during times of drought, according to Hill Country Master Naturalist Jim Stanley.
But storing rainwater is just one of the benefits of a rainwater harvesting system, said Stanley, who has served as a Riverside Nature Center volunteer for the past eight years. Read full Kerrville Daily Times article here.
Read more Rainwater Harvesting news and find upcoming events.
Helpful Documents
A Simple Lesson about Rainwater Harvesting
Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting
LCRA - Rainwater Harvesting Systems
LCRA - List of Rainwater Harvesting Suppliers and Services
BSEACD - Rainwater Harvesting Resources
Helpful links:
Texas Water Development Board - Providing leadership, planning, financial assistance, information, and education for the conservation and responsible development of water for Texas
LCRA - Rainwater Harvesting - How you can collect rainwater to use on your plants or provide water for your entire houseshold.
Rain Garden Network - Supplies information and educational resources to homeowners and others to help them do what they can on their property and in their lives to protect the water quality of our lakes, rivers and streams from pollution and the damage done by stormwater runoff.
Texas A&M Rainwater Calculator - Calculate cumulative storage and supplemental water use for your rainwater harvesting system.
ARCSA - American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association - founded in 1994 to promote rainwater catchment systems in the United States
Back to Issues
