Rain water collection and usage

[brent5631]

The opposite of rain water collection ...

The City of Detroit has had issues with collecting enough money on their water and sewerage charges for DOZENS of years. In the past, they just overcharged the suburbs, but now the water department is run by a board including representative from 3 counties that surround Detroit.

Because the vast majority of Detroit (like most large cities) has a combined sewer system, dealing with rain water runoff is a problem. They have added a charge to your water and sewer bill for every square foot of "non-permeable" surface you have on your property.

Time for gravel or other permeable hard surface in parking lots !!

Here, gravel is considered impermeable and is added to the monthly water bill

 

[jimgood]

I thought it was illegal to "steal" rainwater in certain jurisdictions (California, maybe others.)

My impression is that unless you allow it to soak into the ground or run naturally into streams/gullies/creeks/rivers, it's theft or some ecological crime.

Am I wrong?

I don't doubt that's true. I find it laughable though.

I have thought about catchment. I have 70 x 180 indoor riding arena and a 80 x 46 barn. I could catch a lot of rain water. According to this formula, it's over 10,000 gal per inch of rain fall.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Here, gravel is considered impermeable and is added to the monthly water bill

Where I live in New Jersey, they consider anything with gravel an impermeable surface also.

I don't get that. On one hand my township says that a gravel driveway is impermeable and adds to the total amount of impermeable surface you have on your property.

And then on the other hand the township says that they require people to put down gravel under small out buildings like sheds and what not, so that the water can flow away from the surface and down into the ground under the out building.

So which is right?

Jim

 

[ArkTinkerer]

Where I live in New Jersey, they consider anything with gravel an impermeable surface also.

I don't get that. On one hand my township says that a gravel driveway is impermeable and adds to the total amount of impermeable surface you have on your property.

And then on the other hand the township says that they require people to put down gravel under small out buildings like sheds and what not, so that the water can flow away from the surface and down into the ground under the out building.

So which is right?

Jim

Expecting reason from government is unreasonable...

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

I have fourteen 55 gallon drums to catch rain water for our gardens. The first 2 cost $10 each, the had fruit alcohol for making juice in them. All of the others were free, they had cleaner in them for food processing equipment. I washed all of them out and set the first five behind the garden shed on a shelf made with concrete blocks and 2x12's. It is just enough elevation to water the entire vegatable garden. The others we siphon into a watering can to water the potted plants on the deck. Eventually I will tie all 14 together.

I used 2" PVC pipe and made a feed manifold to fill the 5 drums equally. They will eventually be tied together to empty at the same time. I am currently waiting on a bid to have gutters put up on my 38' garage and then we will have mopre than enough water for the hot spells between rain storms.