Capturing rainwater is an easy way to save money and the planet
It might look good, but don't drink water off your roof. It's gross. (Anna King/Unsplash/)When an inch of rain falls, more than 1,000 gallons of water runs off the average American roof. That’s enough free H2O to supply the family inside for a few days and maybe knock a few dollars off the monthly utility bill. But beyond saving money, stocking up on stormwater can help prevent environmental problems around your house, in your town, and across the planet.The rainwater problemRain might seem refreshing, but it’s not as clean as you might think. Falling droplets collect dust and airborne particles before they reach their final destination, and the resulting runoff picks up even more gunk. Just think about what might wash off your roof: bird poop, dead bugs, and shingle fragments, to name a few. There’s even worse stuff on the ground.“Stormwater carries with it every kind of pollutant we...