Pillar 03 · Water

The resource everything else depends on.

Catching rain, cleaning it, storing it and moving it to where it is needed. Water is the first system to plan, and the last one you want to fail.

Dark rainwater storage tank fed by a downspout beside a house

The Water guide

Start with the roof

One inch of rain falling on 1,000 square feet of roof sheds roughly 620 gallons of water. That single number explains why rainwater harvesting is one of the most rewarding first projects on any homestead, and why most people underestimate how much storage they need.

The guides here follow the water: how to collect it, how to keep it clean, how much to store and how to move it to the garden, without a pump where possible. Rainwater rules vary from state to state, so our state guides tell you what is permitted where you live before you buy anything.

Drinking water is a different standard altogether. We keep water for plants and water for people clearly separate, and point you to proper testing before you rely on either.

Water guides

Post grid

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