Rainwater catchment
Created Saturday 21 January 2023
How to Make Use of Rainwater at Home with a Cistern
Tobias Roberts, Rise Writer
Aug 28, 2020 ⋅ 6 min read
In May of 2018, the California Energy Commission approved a bold plan that requires all new home and apartment construction to include a residential solar panel system. This law took effect on January 1, 2020. As we look toward a more sustainable future, specific legislation such as this California law will play a significant role. They will help reduce our collective carbon footprint while simultaneously increasing our homes and communities' resiliency. Similarly, household rainwater catchment systems might soon become another mandated, sustainable aspect of household construction. Homeowners looking for a way to increase their resiliency would do well to consider incorporating a home cistern for autonomous water supply.
The Impending Water Scarcity Crises
According to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), 80 percent of states across the country have at least one region expected to face a severe water scarcity crisis within the coming decade. When most people think of water shortages, the first thing that comes to mind is Arizona's deserts or the water-scarce cities of California. These California regions are suffering from a loss of snowpack in the Sierra Mountains, which is the primary source of fresh water for large areas of the state. The GAO report mentions that economic growth patterns and a change in land use could further complicate the planning efforts to deliver potable, fresh water to millions of households.