Did you know that running a sprinkler for two hours can use up to 500 gallons of water? The average U.S. household uses as much as 3,000 gallons of water weekly for landscape and yard irrigation. But did you also know that one inch of rain on a standard roof (2,000 square feet) produces 1,250 gallons of water?! That means that 37 inches of average annual rainfall captures 46,250 gallons of water each year.
So why let that water run into the sewer just to turn around and buy it back from the city? Why not capture that water and use it again? Kansas City is known for it’s dry summers, and along with that comes unsightly and dehydrated lawns and plants. Captured water could mean tremendous water savings for a family or company AND help the city manage rainwater runoff control issues. With the increasing demand on all natural resources, water reclamation systems are becoming standard practice nationwide.
Roye Dillon, owner of Prestige One Landscaping, is a big proponent of rainwater capture systems. However, this is relatively new to the Kansas City area, meaning there aren’t many systems to see in action or homeowners to interview, plus the entire system is underground. Dillon has gone through a great deal of training regarding rainwater and gray water capture in the hopes that Kansas City will soon start integrating these systems into landscaping plans.
“The water in a rainwater capture system needs to be constantly recirculated to prevent stagnation and bacterial growth. This can be done with a beautiful fountain or water feature that easily integrates into existing landscape,” he says. ” A nicely done rainwater capture system is gorgeous!”
For more information, call Dillon at 816.796.7548 or visit www.kclandscapes.com.
Note: The attached cartoon represents a deluxe capture system. A basic capture system is not as complex.
The Eco Metro line at 