Water Recycling!

Rainwater Catchment

April showers bring more than just flowers for people with home rainwater catchment systems! Harvested rainwater can be used to water lawns and gardens, bringing you a beautiful yard and leaving some extra money in your pocket. Harvesting rainwater keeps your water bill low during gardening season, and can lower the energy used to transport water to your spigots and faucets. Moreover, according to the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum's (MBGNA), rainwater harvesting reduces flooding, pollution, and erosion of the Huron River. Here's how you can get started!

The Huron River Watershed Council has compiled a list of places for Ann Arbor residents to purchase rain barrels. A 55-gallon rain barrel from the Washtenaw County Conservation District runs about $75-- not a bad investment since you can save up to 40% of your household water bill each summer you water your garden and lawn with rainwater. But if the cost is too steep or you're just feeling handy, Mother Earth News provides excellent DIY step-by-step instructions for "How To Make A Rain Barrel".

Once you've acquired or constructed your rain barrel, the next step is installation. The MBGNA provides comprehensive 5-step instructions for "Installing your Rain Barrel" plus some helpful tips for maintenance. Need help getting started? Check out these links for answers to all your rainwater harvest questions:

• www.hrwc.org/take-action/capture-rain/buy-a-rain-barrel/
• washtenawcd.org/ps/rainbarrels.php
• www.motherearthnews.com/diy/how-to-make-a-rain-barrel-ze0z11zkon.aspx?PageId=1#axzz2y5753tYT

Greywater Reuse

Rainwater harvesting is a great project for homeowners, but there are plenty of ways for students and renters to recycle water as well. Greywater is water from your bathroom sinks, showers, tubs, and washing machines that can be collected and used as a source of water for your lawn and garden. Although greywater usage has been a topic of debate, the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) recently published a 5-year-long study and identified no major concerns with greywater usage in growing garden plants. The study even found that most landscape plants are healthier under long-term greywater irrigation compared to freshwater irrigation.

The easiest way to collect greywater is to place a bucket or tub in the bathroom sink, shower, or kitchen sink. Water collected this way can be used to water the garden, lawn, or houseplants, or you could try the toilet water bucket flush. Greywater Action, a group that works to educate and empower people to build sustainable water culture and infrastructure, has educational materials and instructions for more in-depth greywater recycling projects available on their website. Easier projects can be found on the Sustainable Baby Steps website.

Wolverines Recycle Water!

Approximately 65% of household water can be recycled as greywater, and Ann Arbor receives an average rainfall of 3.2 inches in the month of April alone. The potential for household water recycling is huge! The University of Michigan Water Center has awarded over $4.6 million in large grants to bolster freshwater research, restoration, and protection efforts throughout the Great Lakes region and beyond. It's time for the University's students, faculty, and staff to be as dedicated to ensuring the sustainability of Michigan's freshwater resources as the University itself! Choose a project-- big or small-- and join the water recycling movement!