Livable Now

Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away

Written by Livable Content Team | May 14, 2019 11:26:14 PM

At Livable we are proud to provide all housing providers with the same opportunities to save money and utilize valuable natural resources such as rain. In California, our rainy season can be extremely inconsistent. One way to conserve the water we get in a wet month is to invest in a rain harvesting system. Both environmentally and financially friendly! There are even tax incentives in place to make these systems more affordable. 

 

Rainwater can easily be used for irrigation, washing cars and pets, and other non-drinking uses. Rainwater systems also reduce flooding and erosion and when used in landscaping, can flush salt build-up from plants and soils, leading to improved garden growth.

 

So how can you collect rainwater in California's wetter months? Harvesting rainwater can be as simple as placing a screened barrel at the bottom of a gutter downspout. But it can also be significantly more complex and involve a series of underground pipes, downspouts, and collection tanks able to hold thousands of gallons of water. Depending on your budget and water-saving goals, installing the system can be a one-day DIY affair or could require considerable time and outside resources to design and build.

 

With the new tax incentive proposition 72 in place and rising water rates, rainwater harvesting is also likely to promote growth in another important place: your bank account. Could funding one of these systems be the right move for your property?  

 

Book a call with Livable today and let's talk about how we can save you more money and increase your profits. Using our RUBS program we can assist by offsetting the rising costs of utilities to aid you in recouping some of your costs.  

 

 

 

Sweeping debris from sidewalks and driveways instead of blasting the hose can save 10 gallons of water a minute, according to the Water Education Foundation which is dedicated to outreach regarding water resource issues. Speaking of driveways, if you plan to wash the car on yours, you should simply fill a bucket with soapy water and use a sponge or cloth. Running the hose only for a quick rinse at the end could save 8 to 18 gallons a minute according to the foundation, which estimates the average at-home car wash wastes about 100 gallons of water.