Building My Dream House
(The Waterfall House)

Ya know... I've always had these thoughts about living environments... like "tunnel under." Tunnel Under living has to do with living underground. It would be a last resort to escape from environmental threats.

Another brighter vision I have... has to do with living under/in a waterfall. However, I couldn't figure how that would ever be real (at least not for the masses.)

Over the last several years I've considered many designs and expressions of these ideas. The reality of an increasing temperature in my working area has forced me to take action -- forcing me to turn my dreams into reality.

First, I started planing to move into the basement. The more I thought about it, the more I dreaded it. Right now my office is on the top floor. I look out over the tree tops. It is sort-of like being in a tree house. The view is beautiful. The feeling is uplifting. How could I move into the basement?

Waaa! I had to think of a way to prolong my stay in the loft. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of living in a waterfall.

A vision came to me:

Recycle rain water and wasted "gray" water to irrigate my roof.

At this moment, the H2O pours overhead... and past my windows. It feels as though the dream has come true...

... and, it sure feels good!

About Waterfall Homes & Aqua Living

1. What Living In A Waterfall Does
   1. cools the house evaporatively (roof irrigation)
   2. creates hotwater to preheat domestic water & central heating
   3. provides garden irrigation
   4. increases fire safety
   5. delivers an alternative domestic water source
2. Main Elements
   1. water tower farms
      1. types
         1. bottom feeding water towers
         2. siphon feeding water towers
      2. locations
         1. on gently sloping roofs
         2. along roof's peak
   2. water:
      collection
      storage
      distribution
      recycling

The out-of-pocket cost to make my dream come true -- $338.00 (USD)
(The hidden costs: there's been some minor water damage, my foot fell through the ceiling, and I got a blood blister on the roof of my mouth while siphoning.)

Improvements

Re-cycled Gray Water

That has been a fear of mine... so, I've worked on a plan to recover household waste water.

I've started sticking a 5 gal. bucket in the shower with me. I try to capture water that is not too gray (little or no soap... and NO human contaminants.)

This is purdy easy to do. When I'm getting the water temp. ready... or, when I'm just standing there... the water that misses me... goes into the bucket.

Surprise! There was more waste water than I could have imagined (the 5 gal. bucket fills up real FAST.)

PYRAMIDS

I found stacking the water towers like a pyramid solved at least 2 problems:

1. the bucket fully drains
2. the water can flow to higher parts of the roof. Raising the right bucket to the top of the pyramid made the water flow to my hard to reach areas.

LOCKS

Either several pumps, or one pump moved from location to location, can "step" the water up 10-20 feet at a time.

I used one pump (cost 88 dollars).