You don’t need to be an eco-warrior to do your bit for the environment, and rainwater harvesting is certainly one good way to help the planet. But that’s not what will appeal to most homeowners. After all, it does entail an investment in a good rainwater harvesting system, so it may need to check more than just the green box.

Rainwater harvesting has a host of benefits for your residential space, and not all of them are as obvious as you might imagine.

Cut down on bills

Watch your water bills drop as you discover the joys of having your very own water supply courtesy of Mother Nature. Activities that take the most water – like flushing toilets or watering the garden, are often what also work best as uses for treated rainwater. While some systems run on electricity, there are options that just rely on good old gravity to draw the water off your roofs and higher areas of the home to a special modified loft.

Get a gorgeous garden

Without access to rainwater harvesting, you would think twice before working on landscaping your home. After all even a small patch of lawn takes a lot of water for its upkeep. With abundant rainwater available in storage, you can afford to have some fun and plant some beautiful blooms or even keep up a small fruit or vegetable patch if you have the space. And you can do this guilt-free, knowing you have recycled water to do this. Now, innovative technology has meant that your lawn is actually a water filter with an underground tank filled with self-cleaning rainwater beneath it.

Reduce erosion and flooding

The patches of ground around downspouts as well as garden areas typically bear the brunt of relentless rain. When you use the water runoff cleverly, you also prevent erosion as water is diverted to more productive uses. In case of heavy rain, it can be used to control storm water runoff and curtails flooding.

Getting on board with a rainwater harvesting system may be the best thing you do for your home this year, and you may even inspire your neighbourhood to go green. It is an investment that will pay for itself over time.