Three Upcoming Water Harvesting and Greywater Workshops from H20ME

Laundry-to-Landscape Greywater Workshop

Cost: $35
Saturday, June 4
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Clairemont
Learn the fundamentals of using greywater as you help install a simple, laundry greywater system according to county regulations which requires no permit. By using greywater, compost, and mulch we will turn this previously unproductive area into an abundant three sister's garden of corn, beans and squash. This system can be replicated in most San Diego homes, since laundry water is usually easy to get out to the garden whether your house is on a slab or not due to the pump on the washing machine. Potluck lunch and discussion after the workshop.
Learn how in this informative workshop led by Brook Sarson, water harvesting educator and permaculturist. Through her business, H2OME, she has created many water harvesting landscapes throughout San Diego focusing on simple, cost-effective rainwater and greywater solutions. For more information check out http://www.h2o-me.com/
Limited Space so RSVP soon to Brook at 619.964.4838 or brook@h2o-me.com.


Branched Drain Greywater Workshop
Cost: $60
Discounts for couples and work study opportunities

Design Lecture including fundamental water harvesting principles, Branched Drain concepts, and permitting requirements
Friday, June 10
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Talmadge
Attendence is not required, but strongly suggested.


Water Harvesting Tour and Installation Workshop
Saturday, June 11
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Bring your own lunch
Location: Mt. Helix
In this workshop we'll install a branched drain greywater system according to the principles we learned in the previous evening's lecture. We will split the water into 8 passive lines feeding fruit trees and other companion plantings. We will discuss and design a guild for one of the trees and evaluate the earthworks.
This will be a chance for homeowners to understand the logistics for shower, sink, and laundry greywater in a gravity-fed environment. We will transform a gently sloping weed/lawn into a food providing resource, fed primarily from our reclaimed household water.
The workshop will be led by Brook Sarson, water harvesting educator and permaculturist. Through her business, H2OME, she has created many water harvesting landscapes throughout San Diego focusing on simple, cost-effective rainwater and greywater solutions. For more information check out http://www.h2o-me.com/
Limited Space so RSVP soon to Brook at 619.964.4838 or brook@h2o-me.com.


Water Harvesting Tour
Saturday, July 23th 10:00AM-11:30AM
Come see water harvesting in action! Guided by Water Harvesting Professional and Permaculturist, Brook Sarson, you'll see how a passive water harvesting techniques, combined with a 1525 gallon rainwater storage system, as well as laundry and bath greywater work together to grow a garden of edibles (including 20 fruit trees) using only 1/4 of the water that most San Diegans use each day.

As you tour this urban farm setting, you'll see natural building techniques including a cob chicken coop, decorative benches as well as an earth pizza oven. Brook will be on-hand to talk to you about solutions for your space and how you can make a difference by conserving and protecting our most vital resource.

There will be a tour starting at 10:00, with light refreshments and materials to peruse relating to water in our community. You will learn about simple greywater systems, do-it-yourself options, rainwater-harvesting systems, resources, or you can schedule an appointment with Brook to assess greywater and rainwater opportunities at your site.
Suggested donation of $5 will go toward supporting water activism in San Diego. Please RSVP to Brook at brook@h2o-me.com or call 619.964.4838 for the address.

World Water Day March 22nd!

World Water Day OFG Challenge!

Decrease water use in your garden and create awareness in your neighborhood by doing one or more of the following:

1) Change regular sprinkler emitters to Hunter MP Rotators:  Each emitter only costs around $5 and is 40% more efficient than regular spray emitters.  Available at your local irrigation supply or Home Depot.

2) Remove unnecessary lawn:   Replacing water thirsty turf in your front garden or parking strip with drought tolerant and native plantings can reduce your water use by 70% or more and eliminates the need for water polluting fertilizers and other chemicals.

3) Replace one or more downspouts with a rain chain and rain barrel:  1" of rain can generate several hundred gallons of water coming off of your roof, save that water and re-use it in your garden at a later time!

4) Mulch your planting beds:  Mulching your plants with a shredded mulch helps to soak up rain, prevents plants from drying out as fast, and helps improve soil condition by allowing it to take in more water.

5) Build a dry stream:  creating dips and swales in your garden that allow water to sit and soak in reduce the amount of water pollution generated during rain storms and save water use in the landscape by creating a "water bank" in your garden's soil.

6) Tell a neighbor about the OFG program and how simple changes can make a huge difference in preventing water waste and pollution.

Visit our World Water Day site for more tips and information!

Rain Vessels

Rain barrels and other water catchment systems are fantastic ways to save rainwater for later use in the garden or home, but they do much more than that, they can help to reduce runoff pollution by collecting the water that pours off of our roofs before it runs down our driveways, into the gutters and out to our watersheds and the ocean, picking up pollutants along the way.

Thankfully, due to our water crises and increasing education about water pollution, water catchment is finally becoming popular and with it come a wonderful variety of options for catching and re-using that water!

One new option is Rain Vessels, a local company that offers ceramic rain barrels or 'vessels' for those highly conspicuous areas of the garden or patio.

They come in a variety of sizes and glaze colors and can be purchased through Courtyard Pottery in Solana Beach. You can also check out the Rain Vessels blog to learn more!

To learn more about water cachement and other Ocean Friendly Garden techniques sign up to attend the Ocean Friendly Gardens program workshops!