Virtual Rain Tour – Site 4 – West Eagle Drive
Harvesting the Rain at 388 and 392 West Eagle Drive (Winged Heart Farm), Salt Spring Island
Brief System Description:
Total Storage: 189,000 L (49,928 USG) in 20 tanks each 3,000 USG (2,500 Imperial Gallons)
A very large capacity system with several sub-areas of use one a single farm.
Uses: Irrigation and Domestic Non-Potable
Alternative Sources:
Groundwater well (200 feet – goes dry and is not in use for 6 months annually), and a shallow dug well/spring. The alternatives form the main source for treated potable domestic use, and some stored rainwater is also fed through the same treatment system to achieve microbiological and chemical water quality standards for domestic potable use. Multiple sources and water conservation is the name of the game in order to have sufficient supply for the large scale gardens as well as the residents.
Setup
MainĀ house: 3 X 3,000 USG tanks (with 2 tanks for overflow storage)
Gutter collection from both sides of peaked roof on main house to three tanks, at 3,000 USG of storage volume, each.
Two tanks adjacent to nearby small cabin serve as extra storage for any overflow from the main roof surface area, and also have their own collection from the cabin’s gabled roof.
Three other pods of 4-5 tanks, As in image below, store water for gardens and other non-potable uses on the property:
FAQs
Q: When you established your system, did you design it to be built in stages or all at once? Did it occur as you planned?