Rainwater harvesting could help stem Houston storm-water flooding
9 Sep, 2010 By: Justin Mechell, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Landscape ManagementHOUSTON — Considering all the rain and flooding that Harris County gets — with or without tropical storms — one wouldn't think that rainwater harvesting would be a hot topic.
But rainwater harvesting is a good fit for wet areas as well as dry, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.
"There's quite a bit of interest in rainwater harvesting in Harris County," said Justin Mechell, AgriLife Extension water resources specialist. "They have a lot of rainfall, so there's a lot to capture. And also they're irrigating quite a bit of land, so there's a big need and great potential for capturing that water; it provides a good opportunity."
To respond to that growing interest, AgriLife Extension will offer a one-day training in collecting and using rainwater on Nov. 18 at the AgriLife Extension office in Harris County, located at 3033 Bear Creek Drive, Houston.
The training has been designed primarily for professional landscapers, but the public is welcome, Mechell said. Pre-registration for the course is $125; same-day registration will be $150. A 90-percent refund will be given to those who pre-register but have to cancel. Registration includes a manual with more than 200 pages written by AgriLife Extension engineers and rainwater harvesting experts. Lunch will be provided.
Though water is cheap in Harris County, it can be cost effective in terms of storm-water management, he said.
"We can decrease the water running off the property and increase the water quality," Mechell said. "We are basically performing a detention-type function."
Registration will start at 8:30 a.m., with the presentation beginning at 9 a.m. First up will be a "big-picture" overview of rainwater harvesting methods used throughout the state, including their sustainability and economics.
"Sizing of Rainwater Harvesting System Components" will review the basic components of a rainwater harvesting system, including information on how to size a storage tank, cover designs and pipe systems.
After lunch, "Methods to Improve Stored Water Quality" will cover selecting roofing materials, gutter screening, first-flush diversion design, basket screens, connection of multiple tanks and dealing with overflows.
In "Treatment of Harvested Water," AgriLife engineers will explain what kind of treatment is needed for collected water depending on its use, potable or non-potable use.
The session titled "Maintenance" will cover maintenance of filtering and disinfection devices, as well as tanks, gutters and rooftops. To register go to the AgriLife Extension conference services website at https://agrilifeevents.tam.edu and search for "rainwater."
The training will end with an opportunity for participants to review, evaluate and ask questions.
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