Water Systems

Water Collection

Even in the desert, collecting rainwater can provide significant amounts of water for household use and gardening.

Passive Harvesting: This approach involves capturing rainwater where it falls, allowing it to infiltrate the ground. Techniques include swales, berms, one-rock dams, terracing, fish scales, boomerangs, and sunken beds. Benefits encompass groundwater recharge, erosion control, and enhanced plant growth.
Active Harvesting: This method stores rainwater in above or below-ground cisterns for later use in irrigation, fountains, ponds, and domestic applications.

Rainwater Harvesting, the Rain Catcher Inc. The RainCatcher’s rainwater harvesting page outlines both passive and active methods for collecting and utilizing rainwater in Santa Fe, NM.
New Mexico Greywater Info, RainHarvest Systems The page from RainHarvest Systems provides an overview of New Mexico’s regulations concerning residential greywater systems. According to House Bill 711 (2005), homeowners can use up to 250 gallons per day of greywater for purposes such as gardening, composting, or landscape irrigation without needing a permit, provided certain conditions are met

Underground cisterns can store large amounts of water for dry periods.

Recycle water from sinks, showers, and washing machines for landscape irrigation.

Composting Toilets Reduce water usage with composting toilets that create valuable soil instead of waste.