Urban Rainwater Harvesting

For most people on small lots, the idea of storing all the rainwater they need for their home or even their gardens is a challenging proposition. However, there are proven strategies and techniques we can use to slow, spread, sink, and store more rainwater than we are currently while ensuring safe and responsible drainage back into our creeks, rivers and/or municipal storm drains.

This workshop is meant to help people living on residential lots and small acreages better understand their options for managing rainwater in a way that encourages groundwater recharge, reduces pollution, buffers storm surges, and holds some water back for later usage.

We’ll cover:

– Navigating our challenging rainfall patterns with climate change

– Understanding urban drainage systems as they are now

– Rainwater catchment basics: cisterns, rain gardens, seasonal ponds, French drains, swales, ditches, overflows and storm drains

– Case studies