It is ironic that when water becomes scarce, we start to look at rainwater and say, why are we letting this run off and be wasted. In some locations, like Bermuda, those limestone white roofs are more than just pretty, they help to clean the rainwater so that it can be stored in cisterns. In other words, waste not want not.

In many parts of this country, people are required to have paved driveways and storm water systems that force the water to run off into streams and lakes. Talk about misguided uses of resources.

Finally, California has decided to change this. Of course, this is not the first time that storm water systems have been rethought. LEED projects give credit for designing systems that capture storm water (and have for many years). Cities around the country are working to change the concept of waste water into a concept of valuable resource.

Storm water should indeed be captured, cleaned and allowed to recharge aquifers as well as be captured and used in rain barrels and cisterns.

Better late than never…

Read the full article:
Storm Water, Long a Nuisance, May Be a Parched California’s Salvation
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