FREE water forever. LEGALLY!!!!

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My Primary website here:

Some folks have asked in the comments what welder I am using. Here is a link to the little portable red welder you see in the pump house scene and the retaining wall scene. It has served me well for many projects due to its portability.
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I installed a 30k gallon metal tank in my backyard so that I can run my entire house on rainwater. Often called a rainwater catchment or rainwater collection system; this has allowed me to avoid using city water and to catch free water from the sky instead. Think of it as a pool-sized rain barrel crammed into my backyard.

I also please consider becoming a youtube channel member if you are a super-fan of this type of work. My channel membership is currently under review but I will update this once it's live.
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ROUGH COST OF THIS PROJECT:
30,000 GALLON TANK- $16,000 USD
PVC pipes and fittings and gutter works - $4,000 USD (very rough estimate)
My time and labor- hard to quantify. The steel for the retaining wall was probably around $1,000 USD.
Tractor purchased used probably still retains 90% of it's value
Other tools and welders obviously cost money.
Sand and rocks- About $1,000 all said
Refurbished pump- $500
Backflow preventers and other fittings- $1,000

Labor to the contractor varies widely based on how much work you do yourself. These are very rough numbers and probably vary from region to region. The cost of drilling a well in my area would have been on par or slightly more than the above tank cost. The pumps and filters would have been required for either.
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Since making this video I have begun interfacing with my local water authorities more and more. I am humbled by all the things I am learning. I realize now that there are some cautionary details I did not know enough about to even mention in this video. I will try my best to outline some of them here. As I learn more I will try to update this pinned comment and I am likely going to make a follow up video that covers some of this information in the future:

--In the USA; If your house was built before 1986 there is a chance that your pipes or solder (or both) contain lead. A sudden change from your longstanding water source (well or city) to a relatively "pure" rainwater source devoid of minerals means that there will be less total dissolved solids in the rainwater source. Water of this type is often termed as "corrosive". Water with low total dissolved solids (TDS) can leach compounds from your pipes or even the scale on your pipes. If you have an older house with pipes or solder that contain lead, the lead may be dissolved by the rainwater. As I showed in this video, I use a reverse osmosis filter before I drink any of our water. This would likely filter any lead that may have been liberated by the rainwater. To be even more cautious I have tested the water coming out of my faucets (before the RO) system as well as the water in my tank. Neither source has shown lead. I have also tested the solder I can easily access (by my water heater) and it does not appear to contain any lead either. I will continue to test my water and update this comment accordingly. Anyone copying anything I have done should certainly test their water for lead as rainwater has the potential of leaching any pipes that contain lead. This could potentially be countered by altering the composition of the rainwater in the tank. From what I have read this could be as simple as adding either slaked lime or calcium carbonate to the water. I do not feel adequately educated on this topic yet to give further guidance. Only the warning. CHECK YOUR WATER FOR LEAD BEFORE AND AFTER ATTEMPTING WHAT I HAVE DONE.

--Rain typically has an acidic pH even in the most natural of environments. This occurs due to a reaction with carbon dioxide as the rain falls. Carbonic acid is formed and the rain is thus slightly acidic. I live in a region with a significant amount of limestone quarries and this leads to a significant amount of limestone dust in the air. I have monitored the pH of my local rain and it can vary from 5.7 to 7.9. When this rain mixes in my large tank the average Ph is typically close to 7.0. But that is just me and again it is likely due to the local dust from quarries. If you live elsewhere it is likely that your rain will be more acidic than mine; likely somewhere close to 5.7. This brings us back to the potential to leach lead from pipes. Acidic water tends to leach more chemicals, scale and lead from pipes. In my case I have not had any positive lead tests so far. But I will continue to check and for anyone copying CHECK YOUR WATER FOR LEAD.

--I have seen many people with concerns for other pollutants in these comments. I hope to test the tank water and show lab results in a follow up video. But above is where I have outlined my most actionable guidance so far. Check your water for lead. The unfortunate story of Flint Michigan is centered around a sudden change in the local water source to one that suddenly had less TDS. That is essentially what I did here and what anyone who copies this would be doing. Not necessarily a problem but COULD possibly lead to leaching of lead. So please test your water like I have done. Especially if you live in an older house.

suburbanbiology
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its crazy that doing this in some states is illegal. Collecting rain water should never be illegal.

chocbear
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I work in the office for a company that installs these rainwater systems. Here in The Netherlands we build them underground. That way the water temperature stays constant, no algae in the water, and it can't freeze in winter.

Robcobes
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Amazes me how much free stuff costs these days .

domkelly
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As mum to two plumber sons I had a little chuckle at the end when you so confidently told us that plumbing rainwater to your house was “that easy” 🤭

akgml
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As an australian
It stuns me that people around the world don’t have rainwater as an option

FJaypewpew
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Technical/engineering skills will never go out of fashion. Absolutely brilliant!

adhynugroho
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I have been involved in the water treatment industry for 39 years and before retiring was once in charge of a large municipal water system in Maryland. I currently work for an organization that helps small rural communities with water and wastewater issues. One of the topics we cover is rain water harvesting and I am very impressed with the system you have designed. I am working with some folks in the US Virgin Islands on rainwater harvesting as there are a few of those islands that have no useable fresh water sources. Thank you for sharing your wonderful video and I am currently living in south Texas as well.

scottharmon
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I work in water filtration, rain water is fantastic. Just a few things for other people to keep in mind:
- Keep a clean roof, install gutter protectors, use a first flush diverter to dump debris in first run-off

- If you live near farmland, there may be pesticide/herbicide overspray, if that's the case you need carbon filtration which adsorbs a range of chemicals

- Protozoa, cryptosporidium, giardia, cyclospora are always a risk with tank water, I'd recommend a minimum 1 micron nominal silver impregnated carbon block filtration on drinking water to deal with them

- If there are factors which make bacteria or viruses a concern (dirty roof, lots of birds/bats, decaying organic matter), install an ultraviolet steriliser for all water coming in. UV will also take care of protozoa, cyst parasites.

- If you use UV sterilisation, you will need a minimum 5 micron nominal sediment filter before it to remove particulates pathogens can hide behind.

Forgot to memtion -- acidity can be an issue. Rainwater is naturally acidic and when it sits on plastic it stays acidic. If it is low, it can damage copper water lines, causing pinhole leaks. The copper also enters the water potentially posing a health risk. It can also introduce lead into your water from brass fittings.

Test your water's acidity and if it is below 6.2-6.4 or so, consider installing a calcite or calcite/corosex system to buffer the pH back up. If you ever see green/blue staining in your bathroom, it is acidic water stripping copper off your water lines.

paulfitz
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This is my second time uploading this video due to a technical error on my part. I published it in low def accidentally on Friday. I apologize to anyone getting alerted to this for the second time. I'm still learning. Thanks for again.... if you did.

suburbanbiology
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Thank you for showing us your journey on this beautiful water system you've created. Shows us the important of water and how much we don't value it when we are in abundance, but when tragic events happen like yours, it really shows us the importance! Thank you again!

jojosim
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14 days without power for us due to a 🌪. Thankfully our water and landline phone ☎️ worked the entire time. Since then, we have thought about installing a water collection system and a hand pump well. Your video today is an inspiration.

ODINS_daughter
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The fact that it is illegal to collect water that falls from the sky is insane.

Loagz_Beatz
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From a guy who lives solely from rainwater- you did a great job and made a really good system. Good video quality and narration. Stay blessed sir.

therealhikebikemike
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Fun fact before WW2 my Dad told me they used rain water in Holland for all their needs. South side of roof with sun and UV rays was for human drinking. North side that had some moss (slate roofs) was for animals, garden and other uses. cisterns under house had to be cleaned every few years.

dailyrider
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Excellent work!! Before municipal water wealthy ppl built huge cisterns that collected rain from gutters, and boiled water. We draw water from a lake. the pump is submersible and down about 10 feet, so no leaves. The filter system uses a pressure tank, two washable filters, a 30 and 5 micron for solids and a honkin' huge UV sterilizer. The water is crystal clear, soft, with no chemicals, and no excess of minerals. I think we're lucky!

seanarthur
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the amount of work from research, to construction, to video production. it's just incredible

shiaominglee
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Here in Bermuda every house has a concrete water tank under it and we collect rain from our roofs. We are very careful with water as we know its value. No electricity in a hurricane and we can dip buckets into the tank. Love that you are doing this.

elizabethnicholls
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I live next door. I drilled a hole at the bottom of the tank and hooked up a hose, and ran it into my yard. I'm saving a lot on my water bill. I water all my plants, and my kids get the hose and have water fights. This is a great product, and I highly recommend it.

Normbee
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True craftsman here. Immaculate work. Thanks for the inspiration on just this video. Looking forward to see what else you have on your page.

moises
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