Recycling Water with Re-purposed Parts Thursday 04.23.09 by jared

In our models for the Mill Creek installment we’ve shown that we are going to be re-purposing two 50 gallon drums for anaerobic sediment tanks and one cut in half for the anoxic reaction tank. We will use a lined, earth-dug trench for the water to run through the root biomass and filter through porous rock medium. The small stream will snake around and drop off into a set of old bathtubs. From the bathtubs there will be a store-bought pump to cycle the water both to the user and back through to keep a steady flow of water within the system. The pump will be powered by sunlight through two solar-powered panels. The system will only be running during the daytime and rest at night. The clean water that overflows from the system will be dropped into a reservoir that is another recycled 50 gallon drum. Aside from a few PVC pipes that are already installed there and will be used to avoid purchasing more materials and tossing the PVC, the system is 100% sustainable and earth friendly. Each portion will be held in place with earth and a skin of landscaping will create a beautiful water feature as well as a micro ecosystem for a variety of critters. The system will form a partnership with the colonies of honey bees that already live next to the site, as it will grow flowers and other pollinating plants. The general aesthetics of the system will form a partnership with the farm both in the fields and in the architecture. This model, we feel, is best suited for this site, and could also serve as a gateway to forming an acceptance of this technology in the mass of people who already support water features on their property.