Rainwater Harvesting

Last month when we had our annual January thaw I noticed the low spots in my backyard where run off tends to pool. Drainage issue? Sure. Solution? There are several. I'm keenly interested in one that not only prevents swampiness, but also captures, stores and allows me to reuse the water where and when I want to. The solution is rainwater harvesting with a system called RainXchange.

We get soggy areas in our lawn from intense rains, and in Minnesota we get those throughout the growing season. A major source of stormwater runoff is our roof. If we could only divert the rain pouring off our roof and contain it for later use. Like, when we're subject to watering bans. That's exactly what RainXchange does.

Rainwater harvesting isn't a new concept. It's been around since ancient days. But methods for capturing rainwater from roof gutters have been less than elegant. Rainbarrels are effective for capturing and storing up to about 50 gallons. A good size Minnesota storm will drop a lot more than 50 gallons on your house. One inch of rain on one acre generates 27,000 gallons of water! More storage is needed.
You could invest in larger storage tanks and underground cisterns. Let me be frank - the former is ugly and the latter is expensive. RainXchange is a new system from Aquascape is eco-friendly and beautiful. The image illustrates how RainXchange works. Click on it and you will be taken to the RainXchange website to learn more.

The concept is simple and solid. It takes stormwater from your downspout, filters out leaves and other debris and directs it via a pipe to an underground storage basin that feeds either a pondless waterfall or fountainscape feature. The water circulates through the water feature, where it exchanges oxygen and is filtered through gravel. This cleans the captured water. In addition to supporting a beautiful water feature, the captured run off can be used to water your garden, wash cars, and even run your irrigation system, depending on the size of the storage basin and the design of the system.
A water feature enriches your landscape by providing lively sound and visual appeal. Water will attract wildlife and provides a retreat from your busy day. We have heard time and again how water features bring families together.

It doesn't have to be big or take a lot of space. You can tuck a RainXchange system just about anywhere on your property, and enjoy the double benefit of doing something good for the environment adding signifcant curb appeal to your home.

Prevent runoff and enjoy your own captured rainwater. It's an all around smart system!

Landscape architects and contractors can learn more about RainXchange at Hedberg's Contractor Education Day, March 14 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center. Registration is now open online for this full day event at http://www.hedbergaggregates.com/Contractor/ContractorEducationDay.aspx . Homeowner seminars on RainXchange will be held at all Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies locations starting in April. Registration information will be posted online at http://www.hedbergrocks.com/ in the coming weeks.

RainXchange is a trademark of Aquascape, Inc. and is distributed in Minnesota and western Wisconsin by Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies. Call 763-545-4400 for information.