Harvest rain water, say WSGS Young Leaders

Rain Water Harvesting refers to the capture and use of rain water for purposes, including, and not limited. to washing, cleaning, irrigation, bathing and drinking.{{more}}

The Young Leaders of the West St. George Secondary School has taken the initiative to encourage Vincentians to harvest rain water because of the far reaching benefits of adequately using rain water. Additionally, trends show that river discharge has been decreasing in SVG and harvesting rain water helps to reclaim the water lost from the river as a consequence of deforestation.

Consequently, they have installed a 500-gallon tank at the home of a resident in Dauphine. The owners of the home; Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Peters, expressed gratitude for the water project. Water from this tank is channeled to the washing machine and toilet. Additionally, a separate line is in the yard so that the water from the tank can be used to irrigate vegetables and flowers around the house, as well as for other cleaning purposes. The inhabitants of the house also plan to use the water to help with their small scale livestock farming.

Most of the residents in the community do not harvest rain water on a continual basis; the young leaders anticipate that this project would encourage other residents to make adequate use of rain water, since this is an important water conservation practice. The use of harvested rain water has economic, environmental and social benefits. In many instances, rain water can be considered safer than piped water since it is not treated with chemicals and it has not been exposed to rust that may accumulate in pipe lines. Rain water harvesting systems significantly reduce the reliance on water storage systems. Consequently, less pressure is placed on water storage systems which can possibly lessen the need to increase the water storage infrastructure and thereby reduce maintenance cost for the relevant stakeholders.

Collecting and using harvested rainwater can also considerably decrease the size of your water bills while ensuring the availability of water in dry periods.

For more information on rainwater harvesting check us out on face book or visit our website www.wsgssyoungleaders.drupalgardens.com.