Small Side Yard Becomes Excellent RWH Collection Area in Carmel Valley

You don't have to have acres of room to have a good sized RWH system!  These homeowners have a beautiful drought tolerant landscape with lots of potted plants distributed around the home.  They wanted to collect rainwater primarily for their potted plants and be able to water them without the use of a pump.  GSL excavated a small downhill side yard to place two 550 gallon tanks about 18 inches above the patio area.  A ball valve with hose adapter has been placed to allow for easy access and gravity will do the rest.  The system includes a Leaf Eater and First Flush unit.  A wet conveyance is routed under the paver pathway and block wall to the tank inlet.  A flexible hose connects both tanks to allow for movement.  Both tanks sit on compacted base rock and decomposed granite rings to support the weight of the tanks when full and provide stability at the site.  A tank gauge sits on top of the tank to easily identify the water level.  A design element was to place the overflow pipe on the inside of the tank, like a spillway behind a dam.   The overflow water moves through an existing 2" bulkhead adapter at the bottom of the tank that would have been capped otherwise.  This leaves less pipes hanging on the outside of the tanks.  The homeowners are installing gutters and "Leaf Solution" gutter covers to convey a very high quality filtered water to the Leaf Eater and then to the tanks.

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