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Plano residents prove benefits of rain harvesting
Ronnie Baker / staff photo - Kari and Ryan Gates of Plano perfected a new product, 'The Water Keeper,' as a means of rainwater harvesting and water conservation.
By Marthe Stinton, mstinton@acnpapers.com
When it comes to going Green, the Gates family of Plano has a longstanding tradition of being environmentally friendly and is now continuing the tradition by bringing rainwater harvesting to Collin County.
After seeing the necessity of saving water, Ryan Gates and his mother, Kari, decided to take matters into their own hands and begin rainwater harvesting at their home.
“I had done some Internet research, so we knew how to make them with recycled barrels,” Kari said. “Then (we) made some improvements and it just worked out better and made them much more durable.”
Kari said although they are an environmentally friendly family, rainwater harvesting “began as a necessity.”
“Five years ago when we built this house, we designed our rain gutters to drain under the driveway to the pond,” Ryan said. “We realized that we needed a water source by my mom’s garden. We got the barrel and decided to make it nice and be sure it functioned well and decided to take it to the public to make rainwater harvesting easy for everyone.”
The Gates began their business a month ago, and although they are new to the marketplace, they have quickly made a home for themselves at Four Seasons Market in both Garland and Allen.
“We started Memorial Day weekend at the market,” Kari said. “We had a lot of people that day who gave a positive response. The Allen market has been good for us because Allen and Plano give rebates to homeowners who purchase the barrels.”
The complete rain barrel package costs $125, which includes the 55-gallon barrel, downspout adapters and hardware and fully illustrated installation instructions. Kari said it should only take about 15 minutes to install. The Gates will deliver almost anywhere in the Metroplex. Those interested have several ways to purchase a system, including at the Allen or Garland Four Seasons Market or via the Internet.
“We are also doing this as extra money for college,” Ryan said. “I will be attending the University of LeTourneau to major in aviation and air traffic control.”
The Gates felt that this summer was the perfect time to introduce their product because of the importance of saving water. According to their website, the average family uses 30 percent of their total water outdoors. A simple rain barrel can save 1,300 gallons of water a summer.
“People are realizing the necessity of saving water,” Kari said.
The valley keeper is designed to catch water from a section of the roof with no gutters at the valley portion of the roof, making the only difference the removable lid insert.
“They come all equipped for downspouts and the insert can be removed, and a larger piece of screening fits over the entire top and the metal band secures it,” Kari said.
When the barrels get too full, Kari said, “They all gently overflow like a fountain.”
“The only thing a customer would need is six cinder blocks and a level area near a downspout or valley,” Kari said. “We bring those and do the total install for $25.”
The Gates feel that the symbol used on their barrels sums up their philosophy on water conservation. According to their website, the Avanyu, or water serpent, is believed to have ended the drought in the 1600s. It was originally drawn by Julian Martines of San Ildefonso Pueblo. The wavy body of the serpent represented the water as it looked to Martines, as it was rushing down an arroyo after a summer thunderstorm. This symbol has been used by the Tewa people of the Santa Clara Pueblo on the Rio Grande to represent the quest for water, and it is also used to signify life, prosperity and well-being. For information, visit thewaterkeeper1.com.
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