Tacoma Man Installs Sizeable Rainwater Cistern

Rainwater — it's almost always purer than groundwater. It's abundant. It's free. Based on this reasoning, Tim Bennecker installed 1700-gallon cistern in his front yard in Tacoma, Washington. He plans on using the water to flush his toilets, wash his clothes and irrigate his lawn. The tank cost $1900 and the excavation cost him $3000. This kind of installation may never pay for itself. However, Bennecker said he set out to be a “test bed” to encourage such systems in new homes. Otherwise he could have have opted for more affordable, 500 gallon above-ground cistern. See this guide for more details on sizing a cistern. :: News Tribute article [by Justin Thomas]