RAINWATER MANAGEMENT GUIDE FOR HOMEOWNERS: Slow it. Spread it. Sink it!
“It only takes 25 millimetres of rain falling on a typical140-square-metre roof to generate approximately 3,500 litres of runoff”
Two years ago, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) hosted the “From Rain to Resource” Workshop on Rainwater Management. This flagship event brought together expert speakers and panellists and more than 100 delegates from across British Columbia.
A workshop outcome was an easy-to-use guidebook titled: Slow it. Spread it. Sink it! An Okanagan Homeowner’s Guide to Using Rain as a Resource. This shows homeowners how they can easily capture and re-use the water that falls on their property. While the Guide is tailored to Okanagan residents, the principles have universal value and application – and in fact, the Guide is based on a publication from California.
“There are many reasons for changing our approach to rainwater,” states Anna Warwick Sears, OBWB Executive Director. “Making simple shifts to what we do around the house can save on irrigation water, and keep our streams and lakes clean and healthy. This saves money and energy for water treatment.”
“It’s funny, but something as ordinary as mulching your yard is a progressive, personal way to make a difference for water in your community. I encourage other regions to adapt this guide and customize it for their areas. We are distributing them to the public at the front counter of building departments, and they are going like hotcakes!”
TO LEARN MORE:
To download a copy, click on http://www.okwaterwise.ca/pdf/HomeDrainageGuide_Okanagan.pdf
