What is a Water Reclamation System? (Easy Explanation & Benefits!)

So, I’ve been messing around with this whole “water reclamation” thing lately. It all started when my water bill showed up looking like a phone number. Seriously, it was ridiculous! I knew I had to do something, and after a bit of digging around, I decided to try building my own water reclamation system.

First, I started brainstorming. What could I reuse water for? The obvious answer was the garden. My poor plants were practically begging for mercy during those hot summer months, and I felt guilty using so much fresh water on them.

The Setup

I began by collecting a few big, sturdy barrels – the kind you might see used for storing olives or something. A friend of mine had some extras lying around, so I snagged those. (Score!) Then came the fun part: plumbing!

• I started by disconnecting the downspout from my gutter that led towards the garden.
• Then I had to connect it with pipes to go into the barrel.
• Then, I installed a simple filter at the top of each barrel. The one I use is just some wire, I think.

The idea was to catch the rainwater running off my roof. I connected the downspout to the first barrel, and when that one filled up, it would overflow into the next, and so on. Pretty simple, right?

Finally I get a small, cheap water pump – the kind used for little fountains or something. I attached a hose to that, and boom! Instant (well, almost instant) recycled water for my thirsty plants.

The Result

Honestly, it wasn’t rocket science. The hardest part was probably just figuring out how to get the barrels level so they wouldn’t tip over. After a few tries (and a couple of near-disasters), I got it all sorted.

It is working. My water bill has gone down and my plants are happy. I’m not saying it’s perfect – I still need to clean the filters now and then, and I’m sure there are better ways to do it – but it’s a start. It’s definitely saved me some cash, and it feels good to be doing something a little bit eco-friendly, even if it’s just in my own backyard.