There are three sources of water: - rainwater; - surface water such as lakes, ponds and rivers; - and groundwater from under the ground. There is also the re-use of water, such as using gray water (from sinks and showers) for lawns.

In the US, the states have jurisdiction over water laws, such as regulating standards and sources. 

In most states, rainwater that falls on your property belongs to you. 

Groundwater (that is obtained from a well, for example) belongs to the property owner in some states, but some states require permits and others don't allow any personal use at all.  For example, the state of Texas had no regulations on groundwater until recently, and state law still allows a landowner to drill a well and pump as much as he desires and even sell such water for a profit, even if doing so causes all his neighbor’s wells to go dry.  But Texas has recently established 16 Groundwater Management Areas, and each area manages their groundwater a little differently.

In most states surface water belongs to the state, and its use requires a permit from the state.  Therefore even if an area is dug out to create a lake by personal effort, and filled in with rainwater over time, the water in that lake then requires a permit for use.

In addition, the collective use of water for drinking is also regulated regardless of source. If a minimum of either 25 people or 15 homes have a common water supply, the state will regularly test and regulate that water supply. (Various states may differ slightly in these numbers.) This may include requirements for filtering and the possible addition of chlorine or use of UV radiation to kill bacteria.

Aquifers 

An aquifer is a singular body of groundwater which may be at various depths across its area.  They develop from rainwater soaking into the ground and saturating more porous layers of earth that are trapped between less porous layers (see diagram).

Pollution of is great concern for aquifer utilization, as well as the recharge or replenishing of the aquifer water levels by rain. Each aquifer has a recharge zone which is the area above it or near it where rainfall will find its way to the aquifer and fill it back up. Contaminants from pesticides, factory and home waste such as paint, oil and many other substances are very dangerous to an aquifer, as decontamination is difficult and sometimes impossible.

Running surface water such as a stream or river usually begins with a spring, or with snow melt in the mountains. Spring water is often coming from an aquifer. Many aquifers have a section that meets the surface, called the outcrop, and in some areas the water bubbles up from the ground as springs. As the population grows, and more and more water is taken from aquifers, the levels drop and some springs and streams may dry up.

There are problems in some states, such as Arizona, where the land is sinking due to the extraction of groundwater. Large areas of land are slowly sinking, and in some areas the sinking is uneven, and can cause huge fissures to open up and gradually spread. This has caused great damage to homes or other construction on the surface. There are two very small areas in South Texas that can restrict groundwater use because of this problem, which is called subsidence; otherwise this problem does not occur in Texas because the aquifers are not horizontal.

Rainwater Harvesting

Ecologists and experts on the subject have determined that rainwater harvesting has the least ecological impact out of all the sources.  Rainwater harvesting is accomplished by using existing buildings or structures to collect the water that falls on roofs or even on paved areas, and store it for all types of use. If this were done in cities, storm water runoff would not be a problem. The asphalt jungle greatly reduces the surface area of soil area upon which the rain falls, and therefore extensive storm water systems must be designed to carry it away to prevent serious flooding.

Rainwater harvesting is an excellent source of water.  Homes should be constructed to include rainwater harvesting, which in its most basic form requires installing gutters and a storage tank. By using proper water conservation, a family of 3 in a home with 2500 square feet of roof (in an area with 35 inches of rain per year) and a 10,000 gallon storage tank will result in the tank being full at the end of the year (see page 40 of the Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting.) This includes using 150 gallons in each of the summer months for watering a lawn, but does not include irrigation of a larger area. This example is 33 gallons per day per person, and although much less than the US national average it is possible to reduce this much further - the US is the worlds greatest waster of water. With proper water conservation and systems, it is possible for a family to get all the water they need for personal use only from rainwater harvesting, but not for irrigation of cropland.

Rainwater harvesting can also be accomplished by using sloping land and catchments such as a pond. It can also be done using any area that is paved, for example, or even using plastic sheeting. A more aesthetic way would be to build roofed open public pavilions for picnic areas in a park, or to increase the size of a home's roofing area. 

Please note that a few states do not allow rainwater harvesting, such as Utah.  Local water laws will play a key role in deciding where we start communities. Aside from land, water is the most important resource.

Surface Water

There are many large reservoirs in America that are man-made and used as water sources as well as for recreational purposes.  Generally reservoirs are not used simultaneously for both purposes, as contamination by public use can increase the cost of making the water potable. The residents must be educated in clean recreational use. One example is that no motorized boats should ever be allowed.

Digging a lake requires specialized knowledge, and a lake also requires some maintenance.  Properly designed lakes require much less ongoing maintenance. Shallow areas must be planted with appropriate grasses and plants that help filter the water, for example. There are companies that will pay for the soil, depending upon location, need, and type of soil. There is a better use for the soil, however - topsoil can be used to increase the topsoil on the rest of the property, and the subsoil can be very good for making compressed earth block or rammed earth for home construction - again depending on the type of soil. This is another critical part of our model - the excavation of a large lake and the use of that soil to make compressed earth blocks for construction, as well as increase the amount of topsoil in the fields. See the Necessities: Shelter page for more information.  

Gray Water Usage

Gray water should be used, once again only by individual homes.  This water can either be filtered and purified or used to water fields. If the gray water is not treated to kill bacteria there are requirements that it be used below the soil when watering crops, to prevent contamination from bacteria. Gray water can be used in many ways.

Summary

All four of these sources are crucial elements in our recommended model. 

1. Rainwater harvesting should be the source of water for personal use, and there should not be a common piping system - each home should be independent.

2. Each village should have one well drilled into the local aquifer to be used only for irrigation by the village residents.

3. A large lake should be excavated in the center of the community, to be used only for emergencies and drought, as well as serving recreational and aesthetic purposes. 

4. Household greywater should also be used by each household.

Water is one of the most critical elements in determining a suitable location for a community. Over time, entire lakes have disappeared around the world, including the US, and living next to a major river can cause serious flooding, water quality problems, and safety risks for children. Water shortages are increasing in much of North America and will continue to increase. With our proposed model, finding land with existing surface water is not as critical because we may be able to facilitate that through excavation. Good existing groundwater sources are more critical. All three natural sources of water require specific research for any location being considered by a community.

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