Rainwater harvesting on the road?

[BelgianPup]

I was just wondering if anyone collects rainwater for drinking or other useful purposes, to save making trips to town.

 

[Weight]

With safe water at less than $1 gallon, I stock-up before I need it.

 

[highdesertranger]

I harvest rain water but I use it for prospecting. in an emergency I might drink it but my method of catching rainwater is far from potable. if you saw my camp at RTR you would have seen my collection system, this year was very wet and I collected over 100 gallons at RTR alone. highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

I try not to be in places where it rains enough that collecting it makes sense.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Rainwater is not the same as potable water. Falling rain 'scrubs' airborne pollutants such as pollen, man-made pollution, dust, small insects, chemicals, etc, from the air and carries those particles to the ground, or into your catch barrel, along with whatever crud is in the catch system.

If you're using it for showering, toilet water, general cleaning, washing dishes, watering potted plants, etc, it's probably fine.

If you use it for drinking or cooking, be sure to filter it.

 

[Seminole Wind]

I try not to be in places where it rains enough that collecting it makes sense.

my vote for best answer... lol

 

[Van-Tramp]

Also, not legal to do in some areas... The state of Colorado owns every single drop of rain that falls from the sky. It is required to go to the soil and can not be collected, even on your own property.

 

[ckelly78z]

They would have a hard time patrolling that on a van....honestly, sounds like reason #56 to keep out of Kalifornia....$4.00+ gas is another.

 

[highdesertranger]

it is illegal in Oregon too. I am not aware of California's laws are on this. highdesertranger

 

[Seminole Wind]

in oregon for irrigation/water rights it is illegal to collect, store or divert water once it touches the ground. if gathered before it hits the ground it may be stored and or used. this is state water rights. some municipalities may have more restrictive regulation for residential situations

in colorado, it is often possible to get a rain water collect permit/approval. though in general you can only use it for the same purposes as your existing water right. for example, if the water right to your property is for indoor use only. you rain water collection permit would not allow you to water your garden. again, state level water right law. in the cities there can be other restrictions. colorado water right law also varies based on what water shed you are in

here is a curious one? there are devices available to extract water from the air. how long befoe states claim that is the same as rain water harvesting and shut it down or regulate it?

water is the next gold, people will fight over it

 

[RVTravel]

I thought there already was fighting over water

 

[flying kurbmaster]

So I am walking down the street in Bolder and stick out my tongue when it’s raining, I end up in jail. ???... how did that legislation make it through without a revolution.

 

[Seminole Wind]

that is not what the law forbids, it all boils down to water rights and who gets to use what and who gets shut off first when in drought. mostly goes way back to settlement times and homesteads and farmers. the laws have been on the books since then. and there was a revolution that forced the existing laws in to place. there has been a lot of bad blood over water rights, long before we were born

most of the enforcement begins at the home owner level and goes up to farms/corporations and cities. would they do something about a personal mobile collection system on a rig? who knows, if the right (wrong) person filed a complaint...

 

[Van-Tramp]

So I am walking down the street in Bolder and stick out my tongue when it’s raining, I end up in jail. ???... how did that legislation make it through without a revolution.

Anything is possible in Boulder... some seriously crazy a$$ people run that town.

 

[Dingfelder]

Sounds interesting, but I wonder if it would really be worth any risk at all. As someone said above, I wouldn't be rushing to drink it without excellent filtering. I do think you could do something of the sort with something as simple, portable, and stealthy as a tilted awning with a bucket under it. Filter it inside. See anyone coming, just remove the bucket ... and how many people are on the look-out for a bucket?

 

[Ticklebellly]

Our house water has been collected rain water since 1983. Never been a problem. I have a 10 x 12 plastic sheet I sometimes put up when camping and there is rain. First flush goes to washing and the like and the rest is available for drinking, too. Heard someone says some years ago that fresh rain water is "live" water. I can taste the difference and especially love a cup of tea made with freshly collected rain water. Also notice that the home garden seems to do much better when watered with fresh rain water.

I love the illegal argument/rules. Would be happy to take that one to court as rain being an "Act of God". Plenty of precedent there in insurance claims and court cases over the years.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Texas actually gives credit and discounts for rainwater harvesting equipment, provided that the equipment and installation complies with all the rules.

Here is a rundown on some of the rules for several states....note that they all seem to apply to schools, businesses, municipalities, farms, ranches, developers, land-owners and home-owners...I did not see a single rule or law that applies to vehicle owners or dwellers collecting 5 or 10 gallons of rainwater.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/rainwater-harvesting.aspx

 

[tamewolf]

During monsoons I put out widemouth plastic buckets (that slope toward the bottom) and collect a useful amount of rain. This is very attractive to wildlife, who tend to dirty it and knock it over. So a firm cover is a must.taking it inside, leaving it in a bearbox or tent is wise.
Have you seen the shower pipes that some have mounted along the long side of a van. Black, they are used to heat water. A skillful person could cut a sliding, and locking, door along the top to catch rain. Why not? In a rainy area that is fairly remote, a collapsible or inflating kiddie pool with a cover has possibilities. Take the water out bucket by bucket for washing as needed.
Good luck, let us know what kind of volume you collect.

 

[BelgianPup]

It amazes me that people think rainwater is filthier than groundwater!

How many chemical fertilizers do you think are in rainwater? How much Roundup and other herbicides? How much dumped industrial waste? How much of the chemicals used in fracking? Answer: NONE.

Many/most people who live outside highly populated areas depend on their own well water, and most of them haven't had it tested in 10 or 20 years, if ever. But they drink it without filtering or pasturizing it.

Rainwater is about 20 times cleaner than any groundwater. Air pollution from factories? The worst airborne contaminents can be found in the Eastern half of the U.S. But even there, all you have to do is let the rain fall for 15 or 20 minutes, and start collecting. No, you don't have to filter it. No, you don't have to boil it.

Clean collection surface + clean container = the best water on this planet.

And the legality of it? As far as I can tell, collecting it for household use is legal in all 50 states. Four of those states may limit it to two 50-gallon barrels. Most of the states say that you cannot collect so much that you infringe on the water rights of the property owners around you.

Please, stop the fear-mongering.

 

[Tool Amour]

Interesting that Oregon is mentioned as a place that it's illegal to collect rainwater--my sister's new construction in Portland requires all gutters/downspouts to be directed to a 4' diameter x 5' deep rainwater catchment system. It would be super easy to build in a couple of inline tanks for emergency toilet-flushing use (after final inspection of course!!) but she's not too keen on the idea...