Water your yard FOR FREE !!!

[@amillison]

Really informative and well-researched!

[@suburbanbiology]

Hey!!! Thank you!!! That’s high praise coming from you. Ive been watching your channel for years. Thanks for taking the time to watch. 🙏🏼

[@classicmax794]

it's genuinely awesome that you spent so much effort making sure your idea was ethical and wouldn't take water away from a community that needs it. we need more of that on youtube.

[@suburbanbiology]

I’m glad you saw the care that went into this project!

[@BenDecko2023]

@@suburbanbiology Ethics or the law? In some states especially CA. the government claims to own every single drop of water, including that in clouds.

[@rai.dio.active]

I’m a municipal water resources engineer and this video makes it easy to see the kinds of things that are on my mind at a digestible scale. Thank you so much. I appreciate the connections you made in this content.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you so much! That’s high praise coming from someone with your level of interest and expertise. I hope this content helps make your job easier. Please feel free to share the video around if you think it would be helpful 🙏🏼 thanks!

[@My_Op]

"Jesus Christ, Peter!" I really liked your "Twin Bridges Project" video.

[@rai.dio.active]

@@suburbanbiologyyes! I did! And I’m going to be using it to illustrate what a strong project candid would look like for our stormwater assistance program grant. Thank you!

[@jenniferblack6825]

@@suburbanbiology Hey there is a full crypto bot spam conversation happening under this comment.

[@pratyush4real]

Motherfuckers did a whole ass convo , at some point i was almost about to beleive that it was real​@@jenniferblack6825

[@benjaminmclaughlin4746]

That government worker was very enthusiastic and well educated in his job, answered questions accurately and concisely with no issues. What a legend, deserves a medal. Great video mate

[@Nicholas-f5]

SAWS is really exemplary, I live in nearby Austin and our city water co isn't nearly as good

[@henrybutchy3242]

Nope, he is clearly part of "the deep state", and advocating for commie pinko non-traditional heresies. He needs be deported. Now! MAGA!

[@yoshisaidit7250]

A government worker that answers questions does not deserve a medal, he deserves to keep his job.

[@nofiltersenzafiltro9596]

That’s most people from Texas

[@ianstenseng9312]

That's most municipal employees in my experience.

[@SimonASNG]

The first 5 minutes are like his legal or moral defense just in case someone gets upset about using this water... Well done ;) Prevent the haters from even getting started.

[@virgovirtuoso]

also made it feel like something I would have seen on PBS

[@purgedome2386]

Hehe.. got to say though.. 'Moundtown' was poorly maintained. I have better 'pee' aim then this guy.

[@knpark2025]

For non-haters like myself, this section is also a good ecological and/or moral case for using the water on that street. You've heard it from his local municipal authorities: if somebody doesn't use it to water their garden, that water on that street would do nothing but increase flood risk for other people's houses downstream.👍

[@__Brandon__]

Rain water collection is illegal in a lot of places so it seems reasonable to do it

[@drworm5007]

Given the title of the video is recommending this to others, it is the least he could do to run through the justification. Screwing around with water can impact other people and you shouldn't do it if you don't know what you are doing.

[@MrNuubstar]

Here in the netherlands we have a 3 step plan towards watermanagement. 1. soak 2. store 3. send off we first try the grounds natural ability to soak up and hold on to water, this is helped by using bricks instead of asphalt or cement. we then try to store excess water in basins and lakes and only then do we send water into the river towards the sea.

[@robstafford8306]

From the uk…. For anyone reading this the People in the Netherlands have a long history of water management…….and also being a well educated and progressive nation…. Rob

[@gourdbox]

Funny thing about this State- Once Texas is in the middle of a full blown permanent water emergency in about 15yrs, the lessons of your people will still be ignored by the powers that be and likely made illegal.

[@ryansgaychicago]

You guys are amazing

[@az55544]

Brad Lancaster in Tucson has made curb cuts legal and has written 2 books about water harvesting methods from across the world.

[@suburbanbiology]

I have his books. He is who inspired me to do this. I tried to get a hold of him for a brief interview but I couldn’t get any reply 🤷 if you ever see this, thank you Brad!

[@b_uppy]

Sorry Brad has neglected getting a hold of you. Great job on your part. I take it you're using the street water for fruit trees and landscaping _only._ You want to avoid using street water for food producing perennials and other soft tissue plants. The fruit trees are safe as any negative constituents in street runoff is put into the bark anstead of the fruit. Unsure of tree leaves, but Brad has said the fruit has been found to be okay.

[@HylanderSB]

@@b_uppy Planting species that will accumulate heavy metals and such can be used as a buffer zone. planting them right in the irrigation ditches would be better than nothing.

[@b_uppy]

@HylanderSB Just using street runoff for fruit trees and landscaping does a lot to reduce water bills. As you have plants that are heavy metal accumulator as a buffer, that's a good start.

[@jonathonalsop2120]

@@suburbanbiology Brad's an inspiration for many, and now you are too! Great job on this video and your property, fantastic work.

[@stevestevens9068]

I did the same thing here in Golden, Colorado ... after reading Brad's books years ago. I took the book to the City Director of Public Works ... he was supportive. Since my street was older and upcoming for new curbs and sidewalks in the future, he said that when my corner was to be done, he would have his folks specify a pass from the gutter into my yard. A few years later it happened. I have not used irrigation for the last 5 years.

[@Acts-1322]

Way to go, Steve

[@Stephenwc]

That's completely awesome. Well done.

[@user-mn8lz7gf6d]

That was pretty cool of him!

[@Spenttheirinheritance]

I live in Colorado and my understanding is that Colorado only allows rain water capture of two 55 gallon sealed barrels at a time. Seems to me this would go way beyond that. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea and hate government regulation but I am the guy that would get busted. I'm surprised the city director approved this approach.

[@Stephenwc]

@@Spenttheirinheritance It's very much a local decision. This guy really did his homework including discussing with the right people. It's a polar opposite situation between drainage going to the Gulf of Mexico vs drainage going into the (very parched) Colorado River.

[@InsaneTreefrog]

Excellent research! You didnt just make assumptions and move on, you actually figured out where the water goes every step of the way. Nicely done!

[@harrymills2770]

This kind of work is 2nd-nature to any boy who turned a rainy day into a mini Army Corps of Engineers project in the ditch out front!

[@maryc8070]

@@harrymills2770 Or girl!

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

The runoff from a road, especially a busy road, contains some nasty stuff in the water, so watering plants that produce food is not advisable.

[@jonyemm]

13:51 not sure if anyone else has said it before but, 2 things... 1. Pvc glue. You don't need to use purple primer for your pvc fittings. You can just use the clear so it looks a bit cleaner. The purple is so inspectors can see it was used. 2. Your unglued fitting so you can take it apart. Id recommendp picking up a "fernco" coupling. Basically a rubber fitting with a hose clamp on each end.

[@sheryllevine1548]

He likely wanted to use what he already had.

[@whisperingsage89]

@@sheryllevine1548 But the information is still good for anyone else trying it who might not have anything on hand.

[@christhorney]

in australia the pvc glue and espesually the primer colour seem to fade fast in the sunlight to basically clear, i think they intentionally use non uv stable colourant so that it fades fast leaving a nice clean looking white pipe

[@BadNaturalist]

I went to landscape architecture college and we could've watched your video as a case study. Truly exemplary work. Smart, cautious, responsible, and most of all informed about literal and metaphorical downstream consequences.

[@SilentCoyote]

Fun fact, what you did is create a "bioswale" which is a form of wastewater retention and pollutant filter. Kinda wish we actually had national guidelines for housing developments and home properties to contain these on a regular basis to help address waterway contamination issues.

[@kairon156]

imagine a culture with leadership that was willing to allow and even set up regulations for people to be independant like this.

[@TrueHelpTV]

because then the city can't justify their extra $12 tax for storm water removal in a drain system that's 90 years old

[@bluerendar2194]

@@TrueHelpTV Trust me, they're still losing tons of money over that. It's $12 because the system is 90 yo and requires increasingly expensive ongoing maintenance, and the city is too broke to take out a loan to get it redone (for less expense long-term) because of poor development planning in the past.

[@mollyo3558]

Exactly!

[@TrueHelpTV]

@@bluerendar2194 lol sure buddy. Or, your city is just manipulating their budgets so the state/federal programs keep increasing those budgets expoentially. In government, if you don't use all of it, you dont get it and more back the next year.. so they purposely go over budget on projects year-end to keep qualifying for larger assistance/grant programs. One more reason they're about to start a governmental finance waste agency that is slated to cut frivolous expenses by upwards of 2 trillion.. Not sure who convinced you that suddenly you need bigger drains to accommodate the same amount of rain, and nearly all rain drain systems direct to creeks within about a qrt mile or less, or some form of open access aqueduct for your stated concerns of maintenance, and the remaining sections on average are just fine, minus the small parts that need repair here and there. But as stated, only a disillusion person would think it really cost for instance $2 million to fix 20 ft of pipe at the end of a street.. why else do you think they rent all those machines then let them sit un used for 85% of the job... to waste the budget on purpose..

[@ItsJoeyG]

Uni student here. If I ever own a home your channel will be a blueprint. Keep up the amazing work! Love from Mississippi!

[@suburbanbiology]

I am honored that you should say so. Thanks for your support!

[@flower5175]

depend where you live, you will never own home

[@07negative56]

Since you’re young now. I highly suggest taking a Permaculture Design course (PDC). Geoff Lawton still gives them. If you don’t want to go to Australia. Ben Falk in Vermont is great. Paul Wheaton in Montana is good too.

[@az55544]

@@07negative56 no. ben falk in VT only exists because of free labor and all of the locals know him to be a charlatan. his systems are theory, not functional like the ones on this channel are.

[@harrymills2770]

@@flower5175 Definitely look into permaculture.

[@HunterFunk]

If houses and communities were built with this in mind, they way they were 200 hundred years ago, flooding wouldn't be nearly as bad as we have it now with our streets and canals that simply move, not absorb water. Excellent video

[@suburbanbiology]

You're absolutely right, the way we design our spaces can have a huge impact on flood risk.

[@jackstrubbe7608]

I have used similar systems in several cities (I am 76 and used to move frequently to work on various projects with Lawrence Harris and Associates). The only caveat i would add is being observant of how much water may be collected from heavily traveled roadways. Yours appear to be lightly traveled. Exhaust, tire wear, and fluid drippage from engines all have amounts of various toxins and heavy metals, which can build in the soil. If travel is light, there isn't a health problem. But I would avoid using runoff from heavily traveled avenues, or parking lot runoff unless you set up a filter system in the sump. Garden looks great!

[@nben929]

Chemist here. There's no need to stipulate on the amount of traffic. When you're directing runoff directly from the road, the difference will be that a high traffic road/parking lot produces 1,000,000x the safe limit, while a low traffic road produces 1,000x the safe limit. They're both so ludicrously outside the bounds of safe exposure that you'll wind up in the same situation either way. It won't send you to the ED right away, but you're likely to have all sorts of health problems with this obscene amount of exposure. This guy is clearly intelligent, but what he's done here is *extremely* stupid.

[@jackstrubbe7608]

@nben929 thanks for updated information. It's been years since I did swales, and not a great deal was known then about toxicity issues.

[@AngryArmadillo]

Between this channel and Practical Engineering, I’ve learned more than I ever thought I would about the San Antonio area municipal waste water system 😂

[@suburbanbiology]

It’s a fascinating system to learn about, isn’t it? I love his channel. Grady is great.

[@Jeff-si7ni]

So THAT'S why this video popped up in my feed....

[@Failfer]

Im really impressed with how many experts you talked to, id love to see more of this sort of thing

[@aaronvallejo8220]

I am going to do exactly this strategy on my corner house property in Arizona!! Huge monsoon rains and it is all channeled away. I love the idea of food forests with multiple layers of swales between walking pathways throughout yards with local, seasonal food growing everywhere. Great work sir!

[@Nicholas-f5]

I saw a video on here about this in the SW

[@krabgrass]

Good luck getting any rainfall in this barren hellhole which only gets half an inch of rain per year lol

[@nathansmith7153]

Water rights says you are wrong

[@demesrvl6761]

@aaronvallejo8220 you need to see all of Brad Lancaster's talks on KZbin!! I think he lives in Tucson..

[@cullenchase9161]

Check into the legality of that, water rights in the west, especially in areas that are part of the Colorado River basin might be insane, but aren't a joke.

[@ME-qq3gr]

I expected this to be clickbait and was pleasntly suprised it wasn't. Thank you for a smart, well presented video that delivers what it says.

[@ElegantHope]

hey so I'm probably not the only person to say this. But I really want to raise my concern that since you're using this for the food forest, this might not be an amazing idea as-it-is. A lot of heavy metals and other pollutants gather along the road, especially in the curb area, among other things. They come off of cars, from exhaust, anything that falls out of cars, etc. That contaminated water then siphons the heavy metals through a process called phytoextraction Also if you live in a heavily polluted city, that rain water will itself not be pollutant-free either. And to top it all off, roads are one of the areas with higher concentration of pollutants. So it's all a rough combination of "this water is not safe as-is" If you want to continue to use water from the street, you'll need to install a good filtration system that targets heavy metals and other pollutants. Testing the water would also help so you know what you're dealing with. Also please note this with your pinned comment or description so people are more aware of this too.

[@jean-lucchoiniere5587]

Fact. The concerns raised in this statement about using roadside runoff or rainwater for a food forest are valid due to the risk of contamination. Let's break this down in detail: 1. Roadside Contaminants: Fact Heavy Metals: Vehicles release heavy metals like lead, zinc, cadmium, and copper through brake pads, tires, and exhaust systems. These can accumulate in roadside soil and water runoff. Oil and Fuel Residues: Hydrocarbons from motor oil, fuel, and other fluids leak onto roads and mix with rainwater. Microplastics and Rubber Particles: Tire wear releases microplastics and rubber debris, contributing to contamination. 2. Phytoextraction: Fact Phytoextraction is a process where plants absorb contaminants like heavy metals from soil or water. While some plants can help remove these toxins, consuming edible plants that have absorbed heavy metals poses a health risk. 3. Rainwater Quality in Polluted Cities: Fact In urban or industrial areas, rainwater can contain pollutants from the atmosphere, such as: Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (causing acid rain). Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds from vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions. 4. Higher Pollutant Concentrations on Roads: Fact Road surfaces, especially curbs and gutters, collect a higher concentration of pollutants due to: Constant traffic depositing contaminants. Poor drainage leading to the accumulation of runoff. Debris and litter collecting at curb edges. 5. Filtration and Testing: Recommended Filtration systems targeting heavy metals and hydrocarbons are essential if you intend to use runoff for irrigation in a food forest. Water testing can help identify specific contaminants and guide the type of filtration needed. Conclusion: Using untreated roadside runoff for growing food crops poses health risks. A filtration system and regular water quality testing are necessary precautions. Transparency in sharing these concerns (e.g., in descriptions or pinned comments) helps raise awareness among others considering this approach. This is a valid concern grounded in environmental science and public health.

[@TWX1138]

@@jean-lucchoiniere5587 That's what I was thinking too. If this was just for plants for aesthetics where there was nothing to consume it would be one thing, but for fruit-bearing plants or vegetables this seems too risky. I live in the greater Phoenix area and they even recommend testing existing soil before planting a garden in old soil given the number of electronics and defense manufacturers that have had factories in this city.

[@dianapennepacker6854]

Yeah that was my first thought. One thing catching rain. One thing using run off from the road where as you say. Toxic crap can build up especially over time from using it. I mean it is notorious enough for me to have heard about it. Don't ask me about solutions that can remove heavy metals or other contaminates honestly. Just to make a few contaminates. Leaking oil, animal feces from dogs, cats, squirrels, etc. Road kill. Anti freeze. Tire particles, and all their contaminates. People's garbage juice so god knows what. Micro plastics.

[@briang4914]

Fair point, but to be honest most crops you eat from the grocery store probably contain similar pollutants. Most rivers in the western us consist of mostly sewage runoff, whether from toilets or streets. Unless the farm is pumping aquifers, that's their irrigation water. So this is a similar practice. But also consider that plants naturally filter out a lot of contaminants (not all). I think you're right but it's a moot point

[@LiamMarcon]

​@@briang4914water that actively runs down roads is a lot different from water sourced or stored in other ways. At the very least, water used for crops is tested.

[@726fhd7ywhjjfuudik]

Amazing brother, you went around and actually did it. Acting actively on your ingenuity. Like these water flows and basins so is your ingenuity flowing and spurring on creating "deep basins" all along the way, and henceforth throughout all your everexpanding domain

[@suburbanbiology]

I'm glad you liked it! It was a lot of work but I learned a lot! Thanks for commenting!

[@VPCh.]

Just be very careful using this anywhere that uses road salt. As a geologist, one of the biggest issues facing groundwater quality is road salt entering the groundwater system. Unfortunately there isn't a good alternative to salt as every other de-icing agent has other problems as well. There's been a recent push from some hydrogeologists to redesign roads and drainage systems in road salt using regions to direct saline meltwater out into the rivers and eventually into the oceans without it infiltrating into the groundwater; protecting our wells and water quality. To a lesser extent, this applies to all roads, not just ones that have road salt. Roads collect oils and contaminants leftover from combustion or asphalt aging that are carried away in the runoff. It's probably not an issue for just watering plants, but don't have it draining near any wells, protected ecosystems with amphibians, and whatever you do, don't drink it.

[@josephteller9715]

So useless in about 50% of the country.

[@walkingweapon]

I was wondering about the asphalt and vehicle fluids and their effects on the rivers , ocean, and groundwater.

[@gwb8445]

@@walkingweapon Rain water running off roads around here is full of motor oil and other bad stuff. Unless you have some sort of good filtration system I would not use it on my soil.

[@savinggift158]

I don’t think it snows that often where he lives .

[@sudofox]

What about sand? It's used in some places as an alternative to salt for road traction etc

[@brianbartels696]

Very cool use of water

[@suburbanbiology]

I appreciate you! 🙏🏼 thank you!

[@graceygrumble]

This bloke does 'Do your research!' to another level! It's a beautiful thing to 'do' as opposed to complaining that 'it should be done'. I live in the north east of England, so 'drying out' the soil is not a problem, but still... bravo!

[@TonyWright-tf5zy]

He made some massive mistakes in the first place.. he did this.. I spent 2 years getting the city to stop dumping dirty street water on my yard.. 5000cu/ft of soil and 132,000 gal/year later and it was finally stopped.

[@graceygrumble]

@@TonyWright-tf5zy Your problem sounds terrible. I'm pleased it has been resolved, eventually. The OP wanted the water and you didn't. Now, both of you are happy. Result!

[@TonyWright-tf5zy]

@@graceygrumble The sitiation can differ for sure, its why it is important to have testing done. - Asbestos from Brakepads (yes most pad still have asbestos in them) - Lead from wheel weights - Rubber Byproducts from tires and brake pads - Hydrocarbon burn products - Oil/brake fluid/trans fluid/fuel etc. from leaks (most cars leak to some degree) - Roadkill/Roadkill juices - Animal poop/pee (and the myriad of illness/parasites they carry) - Human poop/pee/spit/snot (not so common but in the right areas it still happens, again illness/parasites) - General litter (cigg butts, candy wrappers etc) - Possibly medical waste (used needles, if you are in the 'right' area wound dressings etc.) These are all very real, very common possibilites, then of course there are others you have to consider that ARE specific to your location such as nearby chemical plants/mines is the street a route that sees freight of other toxic materials or large volumes of livestock etc.. Again, Testing is the ONLY way to make sure these levels are below safe limits and that any treatment system being used is working..

[@graceygrumble]

@TonyWright-tf5zy He has he got a lush garden. So, that's a clue indicative of the fact that his idea to use run-off water was a good one. Unless you live on the same street, do you not think that, perhaps, his situation might be different from yours?

[@TonyWright-tf5zy]

​@@graceygrumble The garden being lush is not an indictor of toxic substances building up in the soil or not.. The fact it is on a street means there ARE certain toxins building up: - ALL CARS leak oils/fluids/waste hydrocarbons. - Lead from wheel weights WILL be present to a certain level. - petroleum byproducts from the Bitumen WILL be present. - Asbestos from Car Brakes (yes, most brake pads still have some degree of asbestos!) - Rubber and Rubber byproducts from tires. Then you have nasties like: dog poop/pee Possible roadkill/juices General litter (cigarette butts, candy wrappers etc.) Possibly human wastes These are pretty universal things to find in a roadway, the only question is how much is concentrating on the land due to this system.

[@Fishy-i2g]

Just remember that road runoff is usually filled with contaminants. I wouldn't recommend using this water for food you eat unless it has been filtered to remove things like gasoline, oil, asphalt, engine coolant and microscopic pieces of rubber from road wear on tires. People are inviting serious health risks by not considering what is actually IN THE WATER.

[@mikemcdonald5147]

Was thinking the same thing.

[@fartmerchant762]

Instructions unclear I used a straw to drink runoff from the curb and now my belly aches

[@LD-kk6gh]

This was my concern as well watching this. It’s a great idea but all I could think of was the contaminants in the runoff

[@briang4914]

Fair point, but to be honest most crops you eat from the grocery store probably contain similar pollutants. Most rivers in the western us consist of mostly sewage runoff, whether from toilets or streets. Unless the farm is pumping aquifers, that's their irrigation water. So this is a similar practice. But also consider that plants naturally filter out a lot of contaminants (not all). I think you're right but it's a moot point.

[@puyrm]

​@@briang4914no. Stormwater is much more contaminated (depending on source) but if it's from a city street I would never use it.

[@athena1491]

honestly just wish the video was longer... doesnt need to be, i was just enjoying it

[@sdspivey]

Just watch at 1/2 speed.

[@travr6]

I have been working for years to get water OUT of my yard and this guy is bringing it in.

[@kscipkkkk]

Many cities in Texas require a rain water catchment system below parking lots specifically to catch rainwater runoff similar to runoff pits you often see at the low end of a parking lot. Building owners have the ability to store hundreds of thousands gallons of rainwater for future use in irrigation systems. I have thought about installing a 5,000 gallon cistern below ground on my small lot just for that purpose but don’t have quite enough room to accommodate. I have a similar setup as you with a corner lot and a significant amount of runoff coming past my house.

[@steve8189]

For YEARS I have always wanted a little pond on my property. And for every year I had one, temporarily, which is called my front yard (boo). With a simple berm installation, I will now have the option at capturing this water to allow it to SLOWLY soak into the downhill property. Thank you for allowing all of this to make a ton more sense. Now I have a plan, and will save my yard and gain a proper pond, all at the same time.

[@ClarkBK67]

About ten years ago I read about the coming fresh water scarcity crisis and it terrified me. But lately I am beginning to realize that it should be relatively easy to solve if we just implement simple landscaping and water management techniques. Look at San Antonio tossing all that purple field waste water into the Gulf. What a waste when it could be stored and recycled. We’ll get there. Thanks for the great informative video.

[@Pool-guy]

3 years collecting content. That’s impressive and you’ve delivered an excellent message

[@darkstars101]

The quality of this content is unreal. Educational, interesting, and even proved your point via an objective experiment. This video educated people, and thus made the world a better place.

[@appraiserbroker4858]

I think what you did is great, but what is greater is that you took the time to show what you did and how you did it. thank you.

[@namAehT]

This video came at the perfect time. I've been looking into using a sump pump with my existing underground gutter drains, and it looks like I might be able to take it even further. Time to dig up my driveway.... Though ideally mine would be going to a cistern first, then the overflow would go to the garden.

[@justinrainville3080]

I fully expected this to be another janky quick fix hack. But I was impressed. You seem to have preformed the appropriate research and planning and produced good quality results.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you for the kind words! I try to do my research and plan ahead for the best outcomes.

[@brendand3030]

"It changed the way I see our constructed environment" Absolutely! I see them everywhere! Thanks for making the video

[@darrylmoffett8323]

I’m a San Antonio native but lived in Orlando for a number of years. In Orlando they used retention ponds all over the metro area. So if you have subdivisions it’s required to retain rain water in the pond. Once the pond is full it is then allowed to go to storm drains. This system keeps the helps the aquifer etc.

[@skram1000]

Love it so much. Crazy so many people wanna say, that's not possible, about so many things, like growing many many plants. All without actually trying or thinking of solutions. They stonewall themself into a corner of "it's not possible" ending all creativity and actual possibility and action.

[@ave14401]

in the hydrology and hydraulics engineering industry, we would refer to this as a bio-swale or bio-retention system. cities in texas are just starting to recognize their value in water savings and pollution control so i commend you for building a system of your own!

[@paparuda1968]

I enjoy your videos! Thank you for your work and for sharing!

[@mech-E]

By alterning public and private infrastructure and changing mindsets we can make a huge difference in the environment.

[@nathansmith7153]

BY trashing it

[@wishiwas-jd9cd]

Where I live, the road surface is coated with car engine oil. You can see it shimmering multi-colored on the surface of the rainwater. I’d be too worried about pumping contaminated water into my garden!

[@chaumas]

I love the thoughtfulness and diligence here. Of course, if it had turned out that this runoff were an important public resource, your individual system for siphoning it off probably wouldn’t have hurt anything in the grand scheme of things. But so often, people try to take “green” approaches that don’t actually work at any kind of scale, and it’s really cool that you can show that your system actually works as a prototype for how homes can make more effective use of runoff, and not just a one-off project.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thanks! I’m glad you see the scalability of this concept 🙏🏼

[@SivanSchlecter]

Thank you for this super-cool, super-inspiring piece. I was working in stormwater management up until Oct 2024 and this just gave me the kickstart I needed for 2025. First, you are helping tell the story of water so well, the industry needs to see this. Loved the "can't un-see it" comment about runoff and design. Loved the investigative backstory. Loved your DIY lab test. Loved your final application and results. Looking forward to watching BL's Ted talk. Thank you again for your work on this...can't wait to share it with young professionals who are questioning why they should work in water management as a climate career.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the video and the investigative backstory!

[@Artofmanifesting]

Genius! This same technique could be used anywhere, even where there aren't curbs and sidewalks or any pavement, Say you're rural on a dirt road and have sloping land or on a mountain. All one would need to do is build the catch basin or cistern, that's the basin with the sump pump and float switch in it. Then using canals and the the ground swales as you've done here one could successfully build a micro climate with any plants the temperature can support, regardless of water needs. Genius! Easy way to move water. Also, if you're far from a fire station you could install a larger water holding tank and use those same quick connect hoses with a 2" hose and fire nozzle as you have shown, to suppress any wild fires so long as you've kept a fire barrier around your building you want to protect. Brilliant. Thank you for posting this and taking the time to create this video over 3 years. I'll be sharing a lot. Peace.

[@dorklymorkly3290]

Road + water = do not use for food, or anything really. A single drop of motor oil spoils many many gallons of water. Might not flat out end you...but it won't be good. Neither is braking fluid or windshield wiper detergent, but from those list, the detergent is the least awful.

[@Artofmanifesting]

@ I agree with your example given! Good reminder for those in the city or a town. However the fire suppression I suggested would have been great for those ongoing LA fires. Taking into consideration your valid concerns, this is still a great idea for those of us living rural in forested areas . It’s the swales that help keep the ground damp with mossy undergrowth that takes far more BTU’s to catch fire and remain burning. It’s the reservoir’s of small ponds or water tanks that when coupled with a trash pump and proper irrigation hoses, or more expensive fire hoses, and nozzles that help to prevent the fires from burning your home to the ground. It’s shovels and chainsaws, and proper land stewardship that makes living rural safer and enjoyable with less anxiety when wilderness and forest fires are springing up around your land. It’s those swales and water catchments that you create in advance that stop you from flooding and save you from drought. However, anywhere you’ve got chemical runoff mixed with your water catchment system you’d be wise to research and install a water filtration system before dousing your edible plants. And, for those who might forget for a moment, don’t drink this water. Happy new year 2025. Be safe everyone.

[@MrMrFlyPuppy]

Awesome video, I love that you are benefiting your land with this and it's helping flood mitigation too! The watershed areas around the Potomac river north of DC is so much at risk, they are subsidizing cisterns and rain gardens to delay and sequester storm water runoff in the ever growing number of suburbs! I love your setup, looks great!

[@PrivateAccoun]

Great utilization of a resource. I would point out that there are a lot of nasty things that can come off the roadway, so ensure your not mixing this in with your future drinking water

[@BooBaddyBig]

Yeah, notably tire rubber is toxic, so you probably shouldn't use this water for food crops. I'm not sure whether this water is actually good for the aquifer, might be fine, but it's not a done deal.

[@Nicholas-f5]

​@@BooBaddyBigit should be filtered by sand first

[@nineteenfortyeight]

Road water is so dirty. Lots of oil. Probably antifreeze. I'm noping out on this one.

[@mrmotofy]

An RO system can solve most of those issues

[@Nihlink]

@@mrmotofyro system takes a shit load of power and is very slow. But for drinking water it would be fine. For irrigation you would need a massage system.

[@5eagans]

Super clever idea! I can't do this with an HOA, but I admire the heck out of your system and if I ever move I will watch this again and duplicate it! Many thanks!

[@suburbanbiology]

I understand, I’m glad you found it helpful though!

[@lindseykyle9567]

This is amazing. I have a storm water drainage creek that runs through the back of my property, and I cry every time it rains after a draught. The dirt will be dry under the woodchips, and SO much water flows straight past and into the Chesapeake. I will be building a sump and running the water to the front yard next year- I am turning my front yard into a food forest, and this will save me SOOOOO much heartache, work, water, and money! Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@suburbanbiology]

Good luck with your project. I hope this video helps you on your journey!

[@auburnsun777]

Amazing job. Once you know, you cannot unsee. After reading Brad's book, I also implemented a rainwater capture system from my downspout. Dug S-curve trenches as my garden paths and capture the water in tanks when I decide I don't want it diverted into in the garden landscape. Needless to say, when there was a hot summer drought for 3 weeks.....didn't need a lick of extra watering! And I am truly stunned by how much my plants have grown. Currently working on a downspout diversion for the other side of the house. We design and engineer so poorly and wastefully..........

[@TurfMechanic]

As a lawncare creator i can say this video and project has inspired me so much. I need to find more ways to be better with the limited water we get from winter rains in both our lawn and our garden (im in SoCal). Thank you for making this video; it surely took a ton of energy to make on top of the actual work you did for the project.

[@jameszametz]

Great video brother. We moved from Fort Worth a few years ago to Chattanooga and while I was there in Texas I preached and provided services for water retention and water conservation. It always baffled me that any place like Texas that has massive populations as well as water shortages, does not use methods like you share in this video and actually mandate it for all new construction as well as provide incentives to convert yards to this. Great job on the video. Sharing now.

[@suburbanbiology]

I agree that there should be incentives of some sort to promotes concepts like this here. Even if it is just to reimburse the cost of the pump or something. Thanks for your support and for sharing with others!

[@texasaggiegigsem]

Imagine the distributed flood mitigation if this was done widespread, as well as the cooling effects of natural vegetation, the increase in pollinating insects, free healthy food, and the effects on the mind of spending time outside in an environment we actually evolved in.

[@Nicholas-f5]

Austin had a landscaping code like this but scrapped it

[@Basgerin]

It's Texas, what do you expect? "Much freedom" trumps preserving the Earth/renewables in even the most miniscule ways.

[@db9818]

Depends on your States laws, many states have water collection rules.

[@PeterLawton]

True. Some are very backwards, restricting without thinking.

[@stilnaughttelling6587]

From what I have learned, the main issue states have with home water collection is all about money. Usually you can collect the rainwater, but the officials require that the system is reflected in the value of your home so they can accurately tax you for it. Isn't that a great incentive?

[@nicolasgarcia-bonaduce9804]

Hey man, I really appreciate how in depth you go into your videos. From explaining why you put the dimples in the heater mud/straw/clay mix (forgot the name) to literally explaining to the audience how the rivet gun works in your porch reno video, those details add up and really make an enjoyable and educational experience. I hope your channel's growth keeps getting bigger and you start to influence how people think.... I personally already see wasps in a whole new light. Keep doing you man.

[@gvantrigt1]

Clever men are what we need more of. Thank you.

[@rayhill1]

I appreciate the commitment of how far and long you put into making your videos. Sharing.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you!!🙏🏼

[@der-gus]

This is an amazing video. Just imagine if every property had a system like this. You could do this on a massive scale.

[@suburbanbiology]

Agreed. I hope more people take advantage of this method. Thanks for commenting!

[@MrMrFlyPuppy]

@@der-gus yes, in some counties of MD there are educational programs for this and subsidies to put cisterns and “rain gardens”, dry-well type water runoff delayers, just like in the video…a low area dug and made to hold water there and gradually release it to reduce the runoff overall. It’s helping the Rock Creek watershed that empties to the Potomac river.

[@Nicholas-f5]

Cities need neighborhood bio swales and rain gardens

[@nathansmith7153]

Just imagine the water lost to other people. You have no clue

[@MrMrFlyPuppy]

@@nathansmith7153 I don’t understand what you are trying to say….

[@throughmylens5127]

5:28 watched a video on the greening of the Sahara Desert they are using U shapes to catch the monsoon water and each U is a ecosystem

[@dieterjosef]

I am from Germany so maybe I try to get away with being an unpolite know-better: was it maybe not about Sahara but about the sub-Sahara zone, the Sahel? Huge parts of this region had ore vegetation and have some rainfall but not constant but in heavy rain events. The technic is called demi-moons, or half moons. People dig a shallow pit that follows the water flow in the ground so the pit fills with water. It is also filled with dung and organic material. This technique is really old but one person had the idea to prepare them before the rain comes so that more rain is captured. I write that for other people that are interested. My knowledge comes only from yt videos I watched about restoring land and saving water.

[@fetmar]

I love this so much. I would only worry about pollutants coming in from the road. Antifreeze, oil, probably uncommon but I don't know the ratio. Maybe not worth worrying about

[@joshberiswill6872]

Your channel is one of my absolute favorites, and your approach of long term filming is such a great way to teach others. Too many other channels just post short videos as they tackle a project with no long term analysis. You are a gem and I hope you can keep doing what makes you great.

[@suburbanbiology]

I appreciate your feedback, I’m glad you like this approach! Thanks for your support!

[@lolapplesauce]

wow nice job piecing together the puzzle of waste water that originates at your curb!

[@suburbanbiology]

I realize now that I should have given credit to the man who first inspired me to do this. Brad Lancaster. I had hoped to include an interview with him in this video but I was not able to get a hold of him. He has a great TED talk here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2PbdY2ipa6hn80 Please check out his excellent book here: amzn.to/3ZQgiAx (I earn a commission from the sale if you use this link). He set me on this path. It's a soggy but beautiful journey.

[@dallasarnold8615]

Have you ever heard of a Bunyip pump ? It uses pvc and a couple of check valves to pump water with zero power required. I am not sure it would work instead of the sump pump, but might be worth experimenting with. I have seen them as small as 1/2" and as big as 4". I also have no idea how much modification of your sump might be required.

[@gregm949]

It's called a Ram pump ​@@dallasarnold8615

[@gregm949]

I would have to prime it each time it rains

[@fookingsog]

This video brings back sooo many memories of when I was a kid...used to go out in the yard when it was raining...would make dams to pond up water and direct the flow of water by making channels!!! Even now the street has about a 20 foot elevation to our lower back yard!!!-- and even drains through the back yard along the fenceline!!! Giving me some ideas!!! Brings to mind Victor Schauberger's research into water & hydrology!!!

[@demesrvl6761]

I follow Brad, and I was wondering about how much you took from him!!

[@ariesmarsexpress]

As someone who recently spent about $50k to divert water coming from 3 directions onto my property and into my finished basement, I cannot stress enough to get a professional who really knows what they are doing before setting this up. It does not take even a noticeable amount of water all moving toward one point to produce vast quantities of water in a smaller area. If your land is not graded for this, you can produce some pretty drastic effects. I don't know how many gallons of water it is, but on my half acre lot, we needed to dig a 4-foot deep, 260 foot long French drain which drains toward a natural drainage 'creek'.

[@GardenerEarthGuy]

Do you raise fish in the basement? That's a stack of money to spend on filling a basement.

[@TheTetrapod]

@@GardenerEarthGuy I misread it at first too, but they diverted water that had been coming into their basement.

[@ariesmarsexpress]

@@GardenerEarthGuy This is why typing messages early in the morning is ill-advised. "away from my basement". lol

[@SimonASNG]

@@ariesmarsexpress I am reading it AFTER your edit and it still looks like you are saying you paid to divert water from 3 direction into your basement. I knew what you meant only because what you wrote was nonsensical (unless you wanted to raise fish in your basement). Try again on that edit. How about, "Water was coming from 3 directions onto my property and into my finished basement, so I had to spend $50k to divert it. As someone who struggled with water runoff, I can not stress enough..."

[@ariesmarsexpress]

@@SimonASNG I stopped listening when you said you understood what I was talking about.

[@cardboard8206]

Fantastic work! I tried growing a fig tree here in San Antonio last year but even watering it every day couldn't withstand that brutal summer.

[@MrMrFlyPuppy]

Try giving it some shade at the hottest/sunniest of the day with a solar panel or other partial block the sun that is directly overhead (sun angle wise). Figs can grow in partial shade but love sun, just not the really hot temps.

[@variyasalo2581]

You need to plant in fall or winter, if possible. SA has the opposite tree planting season as the Midwest or eastern states.

[@icanreachit]

I ran my washing machine drain to three fig trees. Used a perforated pipe and a bed of gravel along with a pop top for when the ground is saturated...

[@laurastabell2489]

Im in the north but grow figs here and more in big pots lined part way up inside with plastic to form a "tray". That solved the tray full of mosquitoes problem! Pots with their internal trays make watering easier since your not watering the whole dry ground. I put a gallon jug cut down in the sink to capture the handwash water too. Thats a few gallons every day, easily three or four that usually flushes the toilet when filled but would be enough for a few big pots of figs! If its blasting hot try putting the figs in cool morning sun on the east or an open north side. You might also be able to build a greenhouse for them and then white wash or shade cloth, hop vines over the top etc... it to keep it cool. Again, east or north might be the place. You can keep a closed greenhouse moist pretty easily especially if the floor is plastic or concrete so water dosent leave easily. Watch your grey wash and shower water for contaminants that can get in your food too. . Dr. Bonners is great to wash with so your grey water is not full of toxins. The laundry wash water can have PFAS if your washing any coated or waterproof fabrics. I would love to find PFAS free clothing right now! PFAS clothing is still being sold- especially imported clothing. Doctor Bonners soap is good to wash laurdry with. You dont need much at all! And of course peroxide bleach and not chlorine bleach. Or none al all and use the sun to bleach and deodorize.

[@martharetallick204]

Tucson here. I water my fig with greywater from the washer. Also, rainwater stored in my cistern.

[@burngg1665]

I just got done binge watching all of your videos. Two things to say. One, your backyard and what you do is literally every mans dream (Im jealous lol). Two, ur engineering ideas mixed in with ur style of making videos is just perfect. love you and ur channel bro

[@Deckzwabber]

This is great! Taking water from paved surfaces and allowing it to seep into the soil. In the Netherlands we have perfected the art of getting rid of water throughout the 20th century. Now we are learning the error of our ways, especially now that rain is becoming less frequent, but more intense. Natural rivers are being restored in the part of our country that is above sea level, so that the half that is below doesn't flood. Runoff from roofs and streets is collected in city parks, that turn into temporary ponds after a storm.

[@ramrod132]

This is really cool! Are you concerned with any of the hazardous contaminates associated with street runoff (oil, heavy metals from tire wear, etc) polluting the food crops you're growing?

[@WizardZph]

Dude this is the first thing ive seen from you and im hooked. I love the way you think, and i love diy engineering even more!

[@somethingsomething404]

THREE YEARS? 9:35 Take my money. That’s dedication!

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you for your generous support!!! I appreciate it 🙏🏼

[@sammylacks4937]

I think that's so cool to collect and store rain water. I've considered fabricating a method here in coastal NC where water is not a problem. I just like using rain water and hopefully it's pure or nearly.

[@Picasso_Picante92]

Don't know why the algorithm showed me your video but I was riveted. I'm amazed at your skills. Well done sir.

[@needamuffin]

Systems like this are illegal in a lot of places, but it sounds like you talked to the right people and thought about the implications of installing such a system not just for you, but for your neighbors and anyone downstream as well. Well done, this looks to be a very responsible addition to your home, both ecologically and sociologically.

[@alexevans1183]

16:38 I'm growing all sorts of plants that my neighbors still insist won't grow here" hell yeah frick em!

[@pyur9124]

Hi! I have a couple concerns/questions, but I LOVE this project and your channel. My state has guidelines on building rain gardens, and I believe the requirements are to not trench within 5 feet of a property line, so that trench you placed snaking down your fenceline could be risky (and I think maybe 10 or 25 feet of a foundation). Not sure if yours has these rules, but at least for others looking into this I’d check first. I’m also curious if you have checked the safety of the water for some crops, as I am under the impression that rain gardens using street water are not safe for leafy greens or root vegetables, though I imagine your figs are probably safe (still probably worth a disclaimer / research on a plant-by-plant basis even for fruiting bodies), but of course rain gardens and trenches are fantastic for any sort of native plants and ecology beyond just eating. The heavy metals, plastic, rubber, street oils, etc from cars and tires are the main concern.

[@rosjay_2119]

Exactly,,lots of heavy metals and chemicals in that water

[@briang4914]

Fair point, but to be honest most crops you eat from the grocery store probably contain similar pollutants. Most rivers in the western us consist of mostly sewage runoff, whether from toilets or streets. Unless the farm is pumping aquifers, that's their irrigation water. So this is a similar practice. But also consider that plants naturally filter out a lot of contaminants (not all). I think you're right but it's a moot point

[@rudetoy8264]

Good job of harvesting rain water for non potable purpose! Some states don’t allow this while others require permits. However, the metal filter is prone to rust and choir to clean out debris especially when fixed mounted, the purpose of collect rain water is to use it when there is no rain (plants already got its water from rain) but there is no reservoir nor tank here.

[@superdybonbon]

This is awesome! We live outside San Antonio and I wish SAWS or the EAA would give vouchers for residents to do this as well. Brad's book was my first introduction to permaculture years ago and then I found Millison and everything else permaculture. I would always comment when it rained how all that water runoff should get diverted into landscapes where it can soak in. Now we live on a little bit of land and my next big project is adding swales and berms to terrace the slope and plant trees.

[@Texan190]

I wish homes in texas were already built like this, with conservation in mind.

[@col.cottonhill6655]

​@@northuniverse Lol you people are so naive. You don't think there's a good reason for things? I work for a civil engineer. I don't understand how all the infrastructure works but most of it is for a good reason.

[@HylanderSB]

I love seeing a problem (storm runoff) become a solution (a source for passive water storage for a food forest).

[@jayflo714]

Idk dude, storm runoff is contaminated

[@Nicholas-f5]

​@@jayflo714unfortunately from motor oil and tires, pesticides, all things we should work on. Good enough for non edibles. Could do soil testing

[@maltekoch1632]

There is the concept of sponge city. Keeping more water in the city. Not just for arid climates.

[@Fishy-i2g]

Just remember that road runoff is usually filled with contaminants. I wouldn't recommend using this water for food you eat unless it has been filtered to remove things like gasoline, oil, asphalt, engine coolant and microscopic pieces of rubber from road wear on tires. People think they are smart but they are inviting permeant health problems with this type of setup.

[@HylanderSB]

@@Fishy-i2g I know it sounds kind to concern troll but it’s not really that helpful.

[@jefflowe8803]

Dude i love everything about your video! A brilliant solution to your water issue and great reseach!!!

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you! And thanks for your support!

[@BobRooney290]

very clever use of irrigation. my only concern would be the water volume influx from the street bringing in soot or silt clogging the sump pump, thus raising the water level beyond the pump and frying it.

[@sydneygorelick7484]

This is an extremely good idea, and also a great demonstration of what due diligence really looks like! This was very un-reckless, and delightfully effective to boot!

[@suburbanbiology]

Thanks, I really appreciate you saying that!

[@dieterjosef]

Have not finished the video but you are a perfect example for what a lot of European cities want to become: a sponge city. The goal is too keep water at a place so it won't become a danger to other places next in the stream, and to give water the time to soak into the ground to refill the ground water reservoir.

[@flightinflightsim]

This is how you get a Colorado River that no longer reaches the ocean

[@Nicholas-f5]

​@@flightinflightsimmany land owners are water wasters anyway downstream

[@dieterjosef]

@@flightinflightsim By building a sponge city? No, the Colorado is drying because it's water is redirected to large cities and taken away to vapour over agricultural fields. With a sponge city you don't take water away, you just slow down how fast it is taken away from sealed surfaces like roads and concrete places.

[@etuanno]

@@flightinflightsim Nope, you get less floods and draughts that way. The water of the Colorado gets used up by the massive cities and agriculture with sometimes ineccicient watering systems.

[@willpalmer13]

We're based in Paris France and wife is landscape architect. Here the latest buildings regs dictate you must be able to hold all rain that falls even in a significant storm event. Mini valleys such as the soak aways are part of every new green space in town now. Our private property has a 4000l underground rainwater tank fed from the roof for our garden

[@shadowelite15213]

In my neck of the woods you usually see the chaise drains installed for the exact opposite reason, moving private flows out into the street. If it's (rarely) permitted, anyways. I would love to see residents take a more active approach to water detention and conservation. Going to share this with my local storm water engineers to get a sense of legality and their insight. I highly implore anyone looking to mirror this to research local law and permitting. Storm water control is a very important, often overlooked, key to public safety. Not to mention restrictive water rights in the areas that would benefit the most from this. I very much appreciate everything you are sharing on this channel as you demonstrate a mindset we would all benefit from.

[@57thorns]

The least you can do is to collect the rainwater from your roof to water your garden.

[@dianeladico1769]

Fantastic content, as always. You're fortunate that you're allowed to do that. My city would never approve of the sidewalk portion and I'd get a ticket for a sandbag in the street as it's considered a road hazard. We also have restrictions on rainwater harvesting from our own property let alone a public right of way. My only real concern would be that you're importing contamination from the road surface such as oil, antifreeze, tire dust and other vehicle detritus. Whether that poses a quantifiable risk or not is another matter. That's my main reason for not collecting water from my asphalt shingle roof for the veggie garden. Even so, this is another one of your genius ideas and I'm eager to share.

[@Lisa608]

My thoughts exactly!

[@dull_Asian_dad]

@dianeladico1769 Yes, agreed. That same thought ran through my head as well. I look forward to his carbon filter dam made of BBQ charcoal and hay bales.

[@petesmitt]

I would never collect road storm water because it's polluted and as for the pump next to the roadside boundary, it would be vandalised by random louts in many urban areas.

[@eugeniebreida]

@@petesmitt I use my shrubs n plantings to deter vandals . . . criminals and druggies have little interest in climbing through japanese wuince, barberri, mahonia, pyracantha, etc etc. If in doubt, blackberry ry works a charm! All these ‘nuisance plants’ can assist in filtering toxins (this requires more research - but many fungii are used for this purpose, and hear in PacNW many a food forest sustains them )

[@Senthiuz]

If he was on a main road I'd consider street pollution that as a concern. But suburban residential streets generally see extremely little use (one reason we need less of them). Most of the water will be rain runoff from neighbors' property. I'd honestly guess the biggest risk is pulling in the neightbors' fertilizer or green paint they use on their lawns.

[@theyellowarchitect4504]

This video has so many good things. The architecture explanation at the start got me mostly. Our enviroment shapes us, yet we have it flawed and impractical. I also enjoyed the water pump mechanism with the switches. Thank you for sharing, speaking as a guy who has planted 6 trees next to his house and is awaiting rain :)

[@suburbanbiology]

Glad you enjoyed it! I hope the rains finds you 🙏🏼

[@Pyrolonn]

Very interesting, I thought about doing water harvest when I first got my house. For me it would be more trouble than it's worth (in Michigan). I can water my tiny garden without affecting my water bill. I agree with your thesis, I'm thinking of California that suffered years of drought, and then rare floods were both a calamity and completely wasted.

[@BucketmanAnimations]

On my street, the drainage is in the middle (its a boulevard). I want to water my garden with rain water though! So I built a swell, which is like the ditch you built. It collects water and holds it to allow water to slowly sink deeper. (The Dutch Farmer made a video on it.) ❤

[@glennthisfieldisblank838]

"swale" is the word if anyone wants to look it up. See also hugelkultur -- built as rows perpendicular to the fall line of the terrain

[@BucketmanAnimations]

@@glennthisfieldisblank838 Oops sorry, thanks for correcting me :)

[@BryanKirch]

Way to be resourceful! No longer an organic food forest though. I can only imagine the chemicals in the runoff. Consider a filtration system next. Even a reed bed or something

[@Gingerfrost]

Was thinking watching the video adding rock bed or even large amounts of activated charcoal there in the outter ring that catches the leaves would help out. Maybe a type of filter on the inside of the ring itself. //(Though honestly he may wanna talk to the experts on this before implementing. )//

[@entheo8824]

My first thought.. with it being run off from a roadway, it would definitely pick up heavy metals from brake dust, chemicals from car leaks.. it needs a carbon filter somehow. Cool in theory but not for my personal food garden

[@Nicholas-f5]

​@@Gingerfrostsand

[@TheLittlered1961]

First thing I thought was he was creating a toxic waste dump in his backyard. Tire rubber, oils and antifreeze. He needs at least a settling tank to mitigate the issue. This would allow oils to float to the surface and tire rubber to sink. This will not solve all of the problems, but would be a start. Adding bacteria that eat oils into that tank also would help. Of course, monitoring the bacteria level would be necessary.

[@michaelaloser5985]

Tire microplastics are nasty stuff. Was just reading about how one of the common chemicals in them makes salmon infertile.

[@stevenothanks7379]

it's funny; i was just about to say that you're an undervalued source of information taking on tasks like this - then you literally say to share the information afterwards lol classy; i do a lot of work in construction and would like to homestead one day; I'm sure that's why a lot of us are here watching videos and learning - need way more money for that to happen and certainly not in this state that i'm in - jersey - one of the worst ones in the country for sure - especially when it comes to things like this - i've put in a leech field and done some site work - pretty much the same stuff

[@suburbanbiology]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video and appreciate your support! Greenhouse video in progress. Thanks!

[@KeepTheKitLow]

My parents don't live in an area with frequent droughts, but they do live in one of the lowest parts of town and WOW they have a lush backyard with an absurd amount of variety. They gave up on having a uniform grass variety in the back yard years ago since countless grass seeds flow to the backyard.

[@Crashphoenix666]

My city is too strict on that sort of project. No cutting of curbs or sidewalks to install this sort of thing, but I absolutely love the idea. Glad you included the hose linkup. Even if the city allowed it, my yard slopes uphill away from the street. Maybe I'll try using my downspouts and gutters in a similar fashion. Great vid and great idea, I appreciate learning something new :)

[@suburbanbiology]

I hope it inspires you to find a solution! 🙏🏼

[@ccampbell7214]

I can't stop thinking about all the oil , and bad crap (break dust , rubber and whatnot )that gets dumped or built up flowin' through my yard..

[@ShirleyTimple]

That's just free seasoning

[@WhoaBo]

Exactly. There will be people dumb enough to do this and use it to grow food. The amount of carcinogens and bacteria leeching into your plants would be a fast-track to getting cancer. Cool idea, but no thanks. Not in my yard. I've strived hard to keep my yard as organic and natural as possible, and you couldn't pay me to flood my yard with street-waste water.

[@pesto12601]

@@ShirleyTimple you don't want that kind of "free seasoning"... a filter of some kind would probably be a good idea... you are just polluting your own "yard" otherwise.

[@snarp98]

Don't forget about mosquitoes. It doesn't rain consistently in San Antonio, so there will be standing water on the property until it is absorbed into the ground or evaporated into the air.

[@TonyWright-tf5zy]

Its a bad idea to do this, but makes good content for KZbin.. I have only just finished fighting the city over a drain that dumped about 132,000 gallons in my yard a year.. I had the soil tested (the road was a dead end so saw minimal traffic, and was still awful water quality) 5000 cubic feet of soil being replaced later (at the city's cost) I can safely say this is a bad idea to bring on yourself.

[@Thousand_yard_King]

I grew a small Forest in the Mojave desert with .02 in of rain per year, including oranges, Meyer lemons, tangerines, grapes, And figs. Maple trees, pine trees, and one particular deciduous tree that I made grow from 12 in tall to 36 ft in 3 years! What most people don't know is that soil in the desert is really good. You just need water. If I could get enough water in the Mojave, I could feed the entire world.

[@Alex_-oc4bt]

Wouldn't the run off water be contaminated by leaking engine oil?

[@zensational.]

I thought about this too, and other chemical run offs. We're sending it downstream to the ocean, which is bad enough. I wonder if there's a possible filtration system that's cost effective

[@reda-exe]

it's not drinking water, i guess the plants do a good enough job of filtering it. better in that yard than in the ocean, i think

[@nopenope6834]

Big respect for doing serious research if it's ok to use that water.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you. I’m glad you appreciate 🙏🏼

[@queefcheif9306]

next time u should put a quiet check valve or any check valve on the discharge pipe for the sump-pump, prevents water in the stem from flowing back into it, its used alot on sump pump systems for basements

[@senval6511]

What steps do you take to counteract all of the chemicals and toxins being washed through the gutter and into your yard/vegetable garden?

[@Mostlyharmless1985]

Dirt.

[@dylangreen9542]

nobody seems to be asking this. that water is literally full of heavy metals and hydrocarbons.

[@Mostlyharmless1985]

@@dylangreen9542 So is your air. Dirt.

[@thelonelyrogue3727]

I'm just imagining all the brake dust, oil spills, etc that introduces to your garden... yum.

[@syntec_101]

fresh chemicals and debris from the road straight to your yard just like mother nature intended

[@YoniBaruch-y3m]

Many of those things are not taken up into the edible part of the plant. 🌱. But yes, it is good to know which!

[@brianmccarthy1029]

Well, you're a rain cloud.

[@Rottingboards]

Yeah, I wouldn't use this for vegetables but I would use this water for lawn, flowers and trees.

[@lisaphares2286]

Brake and tire dust in an arid environment will blow around and deposit on lawns, roofs, cars, windows, etc., and not stay on the road. Every passing vehicle will whoosh it up into the air.

[@pepijn_m]

6:00 the example you made isn't great. You show that you never water the top of the mountain hence it won't get water as the water goes down. I would have been curious to see how big the plants would be vs each other if you had done that. Yes you also didn't give the other plant water in the middle but there the water goes down hence the seed got water and could grow it's roots

[@johnathandietz615]

You went above and beyond for the research on this video. And did a great job on the construction too

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you so much! I appreciate that! 🙏🏼

[@mikeytappe]

My next door neighbor worked with our water authority for years maintaining a job with the city as a hantavirus specialist. We live in an extremely arid environment, always being warned about our water consumption and drought levels. He scoffs at the notion, rebutting that it isn’t about a lack of water, but more a lack of infrastructure. I became more in tune with his way of thinking when a small town, 30 miles south of the our major city, constructed a water bottling plant.