The Stormwater Blogs

Like water from rivers,can we treat the collected storm water and use for washing even for drinking?.

Please. We must stop using the word "reuse" when discussing the harvesting and use of stormwater. Stormwater has not been "used" and is generally no different than the water we capture from many of our rivers and lakes in much of the world. When we use the word "reuse," we create the mindset that stormwater is somehow dangerous and its harvesting and use must be scrutinized and heavily regulated beyond the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act (in the U.S.). If we continue to describe stormwater harvesting as "reuse" we will find ourselves regulated to the point of making stormwater harvesting and use projects more costly than seawater desalination for developing local water supplies. Please, let's think about how our choice of words can affect the value of this resource - stormwater. Thanks.

Restored wetlands don't provide drinking water, however stormwater collected during rainy periods is a precious commodity when there is only sparse precipitation.