Healing Appalachia: Sustainable Living through Appropriate Technology

29. Cisterns and Water Catchments

I loved the taste of Aunt Mary Elizabeth’s cistern water. It really beat the heavily chlorinated city water coming from our tap. She and Uncle Albert took great pains to keep the cistern well maintained and that must have contributed much to the water being of such high quality. Jerry Schumacher, vice president, Security Bank and Trust, Maysville, Kentucky Appalachia, like much of eastern rural America, has known the benefits of cisterns from the time of pioneer settlements, even though springs and wells were the principal sources of domestic drinking water. These cisterns, when protected from surface contaminants, provided a dependable source of water, especially during dry times. Today, cisterns remain a source of drinking water for humans and pets and of water for watering small gardens , refilling fish tanks, and washing vehicles. Municipal water is bad for gardens and houseplants. Cisterns are usually fashioned from rock, masonry, metal, or plastic-enclosed tanks built either aboveground or partly or totally buried. These are generally attached to buildings that serve as the collecting or catchment area. Cisterns had a proven track record long before Jeremiah the prophet was thrown into one. In dry Middle East areas these vessels furnished good water to tide people over from one rainy season to another. Appalachia is ideal cistern country because it normally has plentiful rainfall in the winter and spring with generally drier summers and falls, when the cistern water can be withdrawn for CHAPTER 29 Cisterns and Water Catchments use. If sufficient protective measures are taken, the water can be potable (suitable for human drinking), but it is often used as soft water for washing, especially hair and delicate clothing, and for watering gardens and scattered plants. Water from cisterns can be a supplemental source for people who depend primarily on ground- or surface water. During dry times punctuated by rain showers, cisterns have a surprising capacity for replenishment provided the collecting surface is large enough. Cisterns have many advantages, including low unit cost with rapid payback. The amount of initial investment is a known quantity, and building a cistern is far less risky than well-drilling gambles, which often prove quite costly. Cisterns can be used as a water-conservation measure in areas where water is not plentiful . When properly protected, cistern water is soft and without worrisome iron and other minerals found in so much Appalachian groundwater. Naturally soft water is better for people suffering from excess salt, who often forget that artificially softened water can be high in sodium. Cistern water is preferred over chlorinated water for plants and pets, and people find its taste excellent when the cistern is well maintained. A properly sited cistern can also be quite convenient, and it is under the control of the operator, not a distant private or public water agency. If given reasonable attention, the cistern requires little maintenance and repair. Because cisterns are of limited size, it is imperative not to waste their water. The three-quart, full-faucet-running tooth brushing is out. But this limited water situation can be a teaching opportunity. Cisterns are again attracting intense interest in Appalachian areas where well water has deteriorated due to aquifer fracture caused by blasting operations, where groundwater contains minerals or is contaminated by sewage or hazardous agrichemicals, and where it is too costly to extend water systems to remote settlements. As with all appropriate technologies, cisterns or other water-storage vessels require some initial and ongoing care to work well. Thus one must look at size and siting, construction methods and materials, and ongoing maintenance. Cisterns and Water Catchments ❖ 351 352 ❖ Healing Appalachia CISTERN SITING AND SIZE Location is critical. An ideally placed cistern would be buried (underground walls do not need external bracing to withstand water pressure). An ideal water source is a high-quality, gravityfed , seasonal spring. If additional catchment areas such as roofs are required, sufficient surface area should be available to furnish enough water for ordinary needs; water should flow by gravity and without mechanical assistance if possible. The catchment structure (roofing or other surface) should be made of a material that will not contaminate the water; this is especially important in Appalachian regions where rainwater has a lower pH (acidic conditions) because of emissions from coal-burning power plants. Likewise, the cistern should not be placed near septic or sewage systems or contaminated water. (See figure...