U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0128030, published for Lewis is directed to systems and methods for collecting, storing, and redistributing water, which systems and methods make use of building foundations and surface concrete slab structures. A variety of rainwater collectors are anticipated, including rooftop collection systems (e.g., gutters) and ground surface covering structures (driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, and patios). These collection systems are joined together in a collection conduit system that carries the rainwater to one or more rainwater containment vessels. The stored water may then be redistributed, again through a variety of distribution means, to address part or all of the landscape watering requirements of the property. The system takes advantage of standard foundation and slab construction techniques to establish a major portion of the structure required for the containment vessel.
U.S. Patent No. 4,934,404, issued to Destafano illustrates a water management system including a receptacle that is mounted to the roof of a building for collecting water runoff from the roof. There is an underground reservoir and a first conduit interconnects the receptacle and the reservoir for conducting runoff from the receptacle to the reservoir for storage therein. A second conduit is connected to the reservoir forming an outlet therefrom. The stored water is pumped out of the reservoir to the second conduit and is dispensed to irrigate a predetermined region.
U.S. Patent No. 5,407,562, issued to Baldino discloses an apparatus to effect the reclaiming of waste water includes a storage tank in operative communication through filtration tanks, that in turn receives water from an enclosed preliminary filtration container. From the storage tank, a delivery pump provides for the coupling of water hoses to obtain water from the storage tank structure.
U.S. Patent No. 6,299,775, issued to Elston discloses a waste and wastewater treatment and recycling system separates blackwater and greywater at their respective sources and includes a waste separation system for decomposing the blackwater into water vapor and carbon dioxide gas, a wastewater treatment system for circulating, aerating, and separating the greywater into precipitated solid matter and treated water, and a filtration, disinfection, and water recycling system for filtering and disinfecting the treated water to form recyclable water. The precipitated solid matter is transferred to the waste separation system and the recyclable water is passed through a membrane filtration system to form potable water. A monitoring system monitors and controls operation of the waste separation system, the wastewater treatment system, and the filtration, disinfection, and water recycling system.
U.S. Patent No. 6,016,971, issued to Welch et al. discloses a system for automatically controlling a lawn watering system responsive to the moisture content of the soil includes at least one moisture sensor which supplies a signal to a moisture controller to actuate a water supply valve. The moisture sensor has a casing containing two electrodes and an insulating body of synthetic fibers which provide a path to transfer water from the soil to the electrodes.
U.S. Patent No. 6,016,971, issued to Welch et al. discloses a plurality of irrigation sprinklers that are sequentially operated for timed intervals by an electrical control system having a timing mechanism through which valve solenoids are energized. Selected solenoid circuits are opened by eliminator switches to bypass desired sprinkler locations during timed irrigation cycles. Through a locator panel portion, the sprinklers in operation are identified and the operating period of desired sprinklers extended beyond the time interval.
U.S. Patent No. 3,297,254, issued to Coffman discloses a sprinkler system that includes a rain collection pan. The pan includes a pair of electrodes that are shorted together by a collection of rain water in the pan. When so shorted together, a motor connected in circuit with the electrodes will not operate to close contacts to energize solenoids controlling water flow to the sprinkler heads. Thus when there is rainwater collected in the pan, the sprinkler system will not operate.
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