Recent Drought Anouncement in Washington State

[Doug1]

I have poured old salt water on the driveway weeds with little impact, O wpouldnt water prized flowers with it tho

 

[VickiG]

The wasted water is what I've always hated about RO. Run a line from the RO into your washing machine or outside into rain barrels for watering plants rather than letting the waste water run down the drain.

Alice, I had to laugh about your reference to a "rain barrel" - having grown up with one in New England, I certainly know what they are, but most of us living in Eastern Washington probably would never have one - no rain = no barrel! I do intend to capture that waste RO water and put it on plants at least -our lawns and plants will suffer this summer. The last drought we had wasn't too bad, but very hard on the lawns over hear. This one will be worse. The best part is, the irrigation district raised their rates and when you ask them how they can charge more money when we are going to get very little irrigation water, they tell you that they are not so much selling the water as selling the management of getting the water to you. I know that maintaining canals, payroll etc is part of that, but wouldn't you think paying hundreds of dollars a year for irrigation water, would actually involve getting some irrigation water?! Well, I wish everyone luck as far as lawns and plants go, but as far as the aquarium issue, I have no real concerns there. Our house is on city water which comes from the river and is a totally separate issue from the irrigation water problems. Not that I will waste water (desert dwellers know this every year, not just in years that they declare a drought) but I don't think it will impact our reef tank.

 

[Alice]

Vicki,

You're right on the rain barrels, of course - and on this side of the Cascades no one has had to deal with barrels as we usually get more than enough rain! It works well with RO, though.

But for anyone that uses a barrel this year, just remember to screen the top to keep out the mosquitoes.

 

[dnjan]

I drilled a small hole in the side of the basement wall, and am running a 1/4" line from the RO waste to some rosebushes. I dump the saltwater from water changes on the gravel under the kids swingset to kill grass and weeds coming up through the gravel.

What they haven't told us yet in Seattle, but is inevitable anyway, is that the sewer rate will be raised to go along with the drought. Our sewer charge is basically a tax on the amount of water used. With less water to use this summer, the sewer district will need a higher tax to get the same amount of money. Not quite as bad as the irrigation tax for the eastsiders, but the same general idea (higher tax on less product).

 

[Methuse]

Nice, of course it always has to come back down to money... You'd think that any water rationing measures that might be instituted might be primarily driven by people interested in making sure that we make as much water available as possible to the most number of people.

 

[dnjan]

Nice, of course it always has to come back down to money... You'd think that any water rationing measures that might be instituted might be primarily driven by people interested in making sure that we make as much water available as possible to the most number of people.

That is why the second post in the thread suggested getting water from the Seattle aquarium ...

 

[rhidien]

Yup, as stated, if you're worried about it, catch it in a bucket too and fill up your washing machine (if it's not front loading they usually use quite a few gallons, I believe as high as around 40 per load) or pour it into the tank of your toilet when ever you use it to help fill it back up. They waste quite a bit too.. And if you want your vehicle clean; my truck can be filthy, but my motorcycle needs to sparkle.. great use for it too.