Going underground with water conservation

Author: Pam Baxter

The most unusual entry I received in response to my “Water Wise” contest came from Susan Erb, of Upper Uwchlan.

“We have a two-acre property which is heavily landscaped, as my husband is an AVID gardener,” Susan wrote. “Since we have a well, we installed a (500) gallon cistern to collect the rainwater from our downspouts for our plantings.”

Susan said the cistern has a pump and a spigot, so that they can attach a hose to fill containers. But the story continued. “The excess rainfall goes underground and fills a pond, which we created. The pond is filtered and the water recirculated. It does not contain any plants or marine life, as the water level is predicated by the amount of rainfall. This water may also be utilized for watering.”
I have never heard of anyone being so conscious of not overtaxing their well when building a new house. So, when I met with them, I asked the Erbs what prompted them to install the cistern.

Susan told me that during the planning stage, their builder saw the existing gardens at their house in West Chester, densely planted with some unusual specimens. Knowing how much it takes to keep trees and shrubs well-watered, the builder suggested installing a cistern to catch and hold rainwater. “It was a good move,” Susan said. “It only takes a half-inch of rain to fill the 500-gallon tank.”

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Source: The Daily Local

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