There are two basic strategies of water conservation on a permaculture farm: storing water in the soil and the diversion of surface water to dams/ponds and tanks for later use; storing it on the surface.
First we want to slow, spread, and sink water as it falls from the sky into the soil. Following this, our secondary goals, are to:
(1) capture as much water as is reasonably possible,
(2) store that water for dry periods, and
(3) distribute that water when necessary across the site. Whether you’re going to use one or both of these strategies depends on your site conditions: climate, terrain, soil, your context…
WHAT’S IN YOUR WATER?
I just finished a Blog Post series on rainwater harvesting; I would like to continue with more water blog series because Water is life! All the articles in the news about lead in our drinking water, Algae Bloom killing the marine life and upsetting the ecosystem in our bodies of water, I felt I had to go over this topic and, I had to do this NOW. This blog series will be on Water Purifying! Water purifying is important in the water we drink, the irrigated water that is throughout our farmlands, the water that is in our homes for sanitation purposes. Just think about all our water usages! With water being life, go to the kitchen and pour yourself a nice big glass of water, I will wait.
STOP!
Before you drink that water. Have you ever questioned what’s in your drinking water? What chemicals are they intentionally putting in your water? What Chemicals are in your water from all the industrialized farming? All the Pesticides, Herbicides, Insecticides where does all that harmful chemicals go? Those chemicals don’t just magically vanish from existence after being used to kill whatever you’re killing.
Twelve Commonly Found Toxins in drinking water!
- Flouride
- Chlorine
- Lead
- Mercury
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
- Arsenic
- Perchlorates
- Dioxins
- Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT)
- Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
- Dimethyl Tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA)
- Methyl Tertiary- Butyl Ether (MtBE)
WAIT…… DO YOU WANT ICE?
Are you really going to continue drinking that? Have your Pets and Children Drink that water? You want them drinking the main ingredient of Rocket Fuel? Municipalities add chlorine and other chemicals to kill the microorganisms, However, if these chemicals are killing microorganisms. What is that chemical doing to you?
HEMP PURIFYING SYSTEM
Hemp is the plant I want to talk about in the Phytodepuration Systems, with this system it is a little controversial and illegal in some areas. Please check with your specific Local and Country laws and regulations on growing hemp. Growing hemp can Clean the air, restore the soil and purify the water.
COMMON REED
Phragmites karka is a species of common reed that originates in South East Asia. Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf researched and discovered that this plant could remove Lead, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic, and Tin out of the water supplies and soil.
WATER PURIFYING SYSTEMS
Water purification systems are important! These Systems remove chemicals, toxins, compounds, salts, metals, and harmful organisms. After going through rainwater harvesting, this would be your next step on your journey to an abundance of clean water!
These systems are for purifying your harvested rainwater, so you do not have to depend on the water supplied to you!
Water Purification Systems are used for making water suitable for drinking, wastewater recycling and reusing, and all other water needs.
PHYTODEPURATION
Phytodepuration is the intentional use of a plant to remove toxins from soils, sludges, sediments, surface water, and groundwater. This is a natural treatment technique that reproduces natural purification processes in a controlled environment. The system can be created with basins, that is then filled with inert materials such as sand, aquatic plants macrophytes. These plants are natural Purification Systems. The Three plants that support this system is Bamboo, Hemp, Rice, Common Reed, Water Hyacinth, and Vetiver.
VETIVER PURIFYING SYSTEM
Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) is tall, fast-growing perennial grass. This plant system has deep, complex roots that which can penetrate the deep layers into the soil. Accelerates the natural occurring ecosystem habitat for many symbiotic bacteria, and fungi made the ecology system naturally contributes to the pollutant uptake.
SELF PURIFYING
If the diversity of microorganisms is rich, nature’ s self-purifying ability is enhanced and clean water will return. Microorganisms will restore a healthy balance of microorganisms in the ecosystem, thereby increasing its self-purification ability without the use of chemicals.
Here is a suggestion for water filtration I found written by
The filtration system is actually a locally produced design. It was based on an award-winning model by a Guatemalan biochemist, Jose Fernanado Mazariegos Anleu. The filter is created using three, abundant natural resources: clay, sawdust, and colloidal sliver. The clay creates micro channels that catch solid contaminants, bacteria and parasites. The sawdust is used to make activated carbon, which removes bad smells, funny tastes and cloudiness. Lastly, the colloidal silver (a controversial thing that, from personal experience, we happen to think works) provides a little extra insurance for taking on bacteria.
Ideally, we would have access to these filters, which can produce one to two liters of drinking water per hour, a process which simply requires pouring water into the filter at the top of container and getting it from a spigot at the bottom. Properly maintained filters (they must be sponged clean with filtered water every three months) last for two years and are replaced for about 25 USD. Finally, the old filters make fantastic plant pots, something we first learned at Earth Lodge, an eco-hotel where we often volunteer.
Water Filter
As for materials and tools, the list is short. You’ll need two food-grade plastic buckets (other containers are possible, but these are often available for free from restaurants) with lids, a food-grade water spout (available online for a few dollars), and minor plumbing fittings to connect the buckets (including an O-ring and screen). The filtering part will be a combination of gravel for bigger solids, sand for other particulars, and activated charcoal for micro stuff. Activated charcoal is available in most pest shops, but some say that normal wood charcoal will also work just fine. The only tool that may not be around would be a drill with a hole saw (suited for the plumbing fittings and one for the spigot), but a knife and hacksaw can work.
To make the system, first, put one bucket atop the other, the bottom having its lid on. Then, drill a hole through the bottom of the top and the lid of the bottom. Connect the holes with the plumbing fixtures, with all connection obviously being watertight. Next, install the spigot around the bottom lip of the bottom bucket. Lastly, it’ll be building the filter. Cover the plumbing between the buckets with a piece of screen and O-ring, then splitting the top bucket roughly into fourths, fill one quarter with activated charcoal then sand then gravel, leaving the last quarter for water. Like with any good permaculture water system, gravity will do the work.
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