[Sdpg] Wonderwater Rain Water Catchment Website
Wesley Roe and Marjorie Lakin Erickson
lakinroe at silcom.com
Wed Oct 19 04:42:01 PDT 2005
http://www.wonderwater.net/
What is a Rainwater Catchment System
A Rain Catchment System collects rainwater from either a roof, paved area
or runoff. The water is then filtered and stored in an above or below
ground tank.
The rainwater can be used for either residential, commercial or landscape use.
A Rain Catchment System can be as simple as a small swail to stop water
flooding off a slope or as technically advanced as a system that catches
rain to supply a structure with water for drinking, sanitation, cooling,
landscaping or agriculture. A Rain Catchment System is designed to most
efficiently collect the rain water that falls on any given structure or
property.
"God must think we're crazy. We let the rain fall off our roofs onto our
soil. It washes the soil away and flows to the bottom of the hill. We then
climb down the hill and carry it back up to drink." (Ugandan project worker)
The History of Catching Rain
It has not always been this way. Primitive Rain Catchment Systems were
invented independently in various parts of the world and on different
continents thousands of years ago.
In the Loess plateau of China (Ganzu Province), rainwater wells and jars
existed as long as two thousand years ago. In that same time period,
historians have found an integrated rainwater management system and runoff
that fed agriculture for the Negev desert of Israel and Jordan. In India,
raincatchers can be found in 15 different environmental zones. The Mayan
people in the Yucatan, Mexico have rich,ancient and traditional rainwater
catchment technologies (dating back to the Aztecs and Mayas). South of the
city Oxkutzcab on the foot of the Puuc Mountain we can still see the
achievements of the Mayas. In the 10th century AD, we can find an
integrated agriculture based on rainwater catchment. The people lived on
the hillsides and their drinking water was provided by 20 to 45 thousand
liters cisterns called Chultuns.
For at least three millennia, people across the world have harvested
rainwater for household, livestock and agricultural uses.
Why should we catch rain?
The current source of water is scarce and there will be a 40% increase in
water use by 2020. Where will the water come from? Wonderwater believes the
answer is falling from the sky.
Water covers 70% of the planet. Approximately 97% is saltwater and another
2% is held in ice caps and glaciers. This leaves only 1% of the world's
water for all 6 billion inhabitants, and half of that, we shockingly have
polluted. The World Water Council believes that total protection of the
global population is only possible if we find an alternative source to
ground and surface water. No substance is more crucial to survival than
water and yet an alarming social indifference prevails regarding its
depletion.
All of our water is regenerated by rain and snowfall. The growth of
population, major cities and chemical pollution threatens its quality daily
and depletes this precious resource.
The North American Ogallala Basin, which extends more than 810 miles from
Texas to South Dakota, is being depleted 7 times faster than it can be
replenished by rain.
A recent U.S. federal report shows that in 36 states, water managers are
anticipating a shortage in the next 10 years regardless of annual rainfall.
We need to start catching rain now before our resources are no longer
readily available to us.
ABOUT WONDER WATER WEBSITE
Wonderwater has one objective: to create a supplemental supply of water so
we will continue to have enough to drink, wash, cook, grow, and play in. We
accomplish our goal with a 3000 year old practice - by catching, storing
and using the rain.
But theres good news and bad news
The bad news is that global consumption of water has been doubling every 20
years, more than twice the rate of human population growth. We are using
water like it was an infinite resource. But its not. We are depleting our
water supply.
The good news is that water managers across the globe know that Rain
Catchment Systems will make an essential contribution to resolving the
water crisis. For decades, Europe, Australia, Japan, China and Israel have
implemented this amazing technology.
"If the wars of the last century were fought over oil, the wars of this
century will be fought over water." Scientists are looking for alternatives
to oil but there is no alternative to water. As we prepare for this crisis,
our greatest defense will be that no one can own the rain. Its natures
gift to all of us. So, on the days when it rains, smile - because the
solution to the water problem is literally falling upon you.
Click here to watch our Flash movie that quickly explains what Rain
Catchment is.
For Information about our products and services contact:
Wonderwater
p.o. box 1510,
mount shasta, california 96067
ph: 530.926.5050
fax: 530.926.5994
Email: info at wonderwater.net
www.wonderwater.net
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