Rainwater harvesting workshops to be offered in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO – The Texas AgriLife Extension Service and The Antique Rose Emporium will co-sponsor rainwater harvesting workshops on Oct. 26 and 27.

The workshops will be held at The Antique Rose Emporium, 7561 East Evans Rd.

The Oct. 26 workshop, which runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m., will focus on rainwater collection for the home. The Oct. 27 workshop, which will take place from 9:30 a.m.-noon, will focus on rainwater collection for use on landscapes and for wildlife.

“Now that we’ve received some rain recently, it’s a good reminder and a perfect time for people to be thinking about rainwater capturing systems for their home to help conserve water,” said Bryan Davis, AgriLife Extension agent for natural resources in Bexar County and a workshop presenter.

Davis said both workshops will include a presentation by Billy Kniffen of Menard County, an AgriLife Extension program specialist and respected expert on rainwater harvesting. Kniffen has built rainwater harvesting systems to capture and store water for all potable and non-potable uses for his home and surrounding property. He also has provided technical assistance toward building other systems at several community locations across the state.

“The first workshop will show homeowners different types of rainwater systems for capturing water and using it for potable and non-potable purposes in the home,” Davis said. “The second will show how to collect and store rainwater to irrigate trees, lawns, gardens and landscapes, and to provide drinking water for wildlife.”

Davis said the Oct. 27 workshop also will include a presentation on drought management and landscape recovery by David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture in Bexar County.

The cost for each workshop is $5. Participants are requested to RSVP by Oct. 23 to Annette Pawelek at the AgriLife Extension office in Bexar County, 210-467-6575. -30-