Single Households From a regulatory perspective, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has rules that only apply to a rainwater system that supplies potable water for a public water system or for any business that manufactures food or beverages. TCEQ does not set minimum treatment requirements for rainwater that will be used as a drinking water source for a single household nor do they regulate nonpotable uses of rainwater. The TCEQ does, however, offer guidelines in its publication Harvesting, Storing and Treating Rainwater for Domestic Use. Public… Read More →
A raingarden is an artificial depression in the landscape that collects and stores stormwater runoff until it can infiltrate the soil. Stormwater runoff increases urban flooding and erodes the banks of rivers and streams. Urban runoff also carries many pollutants into streams and rivers. A raingarden is an approach to rainwater harvesting that can prevent flooding and erosion and turn stormwater problems into water supply assets by slowing run-off and allowing it to soak into the ground. Raingardens are not ponds. They are usually planted with native vegetation… Read More →
People are intrigued by wildlife and enjoy watching different species interact. Many Texans have been introduced to the outdoors through hunting and fishing, activities that have contributed an estimated $3.3 billion annually to the state’s economy. With increased enthusiasm for wildlife comes a growing economic potential for landowners to offer nature-based tourism. To attract wildlife—and in turn, people—to their properties, land managers have worked to improve the habitat on their properties by using management techniques such as shallow disking, prescribed burning, and livestock grazing. One underused method for… Read More →
