Water Harvesters Co-op

Water Harvesters Core Members: David Johnson, Chris Terbrueggen, Andrew Plier, Barbara Richards and Dick Stenzel
E-mail Contact:waterharvesters.coop@gmail.com

Co-op Discussions: Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6:30 pm-9:00 pm
at the Urban Ecology Center-Washington Park. 1859 N. 40th Street

Join us as we invite local and regional water groups to network and
partner with us on rainwater harvesting projects.

Do you want to volunteer for Water Harvesters' projects? Volunteer Info coming soon....

Ready to host and install a 275 gallon rainwater collection system at your home, bussiness or community garden! Read thisCo-op Project Form   Contact Chris Terbrueggen at Christopher402@gmail.com or  Barbara Richards richardsba7651@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment after reading the assessment packet.

CURRENT EVENTS

Town and Country RC&D becomes fiscal sponsor for Transition Milwaukee's Water Working Group

Volunteers, led by Barbara Richards, Bryce Ruddock, David Johnson and Chris Terbrueggen of Transition Milwaukee's Water Working Group, installed nine water harvesting totes at residences and businesses in the City of Milwaukee in 2011. They are looking for 25 more sites at which to install berms, rain gardens and/or totes by September, 2013.

These will be BMP sites for others. Ultimately, the group hopes to demonstrate that water kept on properties, instead of allowed to run off into stormsewers, can serve a useful function.
The project works within the downspout disconnection guidelines set up by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District(MMSD).

Freshwater Future has granted $3,000 to Transition Milwaukee Water Working Group for the grant period March 1, 2012 through February 28, 2013.

The Transition Milwaukee Water Working Group will mobilize volunteers to reduce the stormwater footprint at 25 sites in the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District by working within the downspout disconnection guidelines of the City of Milwaukee to promote downspout disconnection and rainwater harvesting in a targeted neighborhood. The project will reach out to homeowners, businesses, and other organizations in the Menominee River watershed with information about stormwater impacts, and will identify individuals and organizations willing to serve as model rainwater harvesting sites.

On The River's Edge:  A community forum featuring the Menomonee River and its watershed from 4 to 9 pm on July 28 at Wauwatosa's Hart Park Senior Center Riverview Room, 7300 Chestnut St.

April 26 at Tom  Brandstetter's house  ( Rain or Shine)
3315A So Indiana Ave.

Joinmembers of the Water Working Group at 6 pm, Tom  Brandstetter'shouse  to plan a rainwater harvesting system and permaculture garden inBay View.  RSVP thewater group.  We can observe howthe water moves across the soil if it rains and seek ways to slow itdown.

April 28 at Barbara Richards House ( Rain or Shine)
3210N 83rd street

Water group members will also meet on Thursday, to advise BarbaraRichards on rainwater harvesting plans for a edible food forest .  RSVP to richardsba7651@yahoo.com

On site are two 275 gallon totes, one forinstallation at the garage and one at the house.  Some swales and bermsand rain gardens are on site or in process.

Existing food perennialsare: 3 grape vines, 3 apple trees, strawberries, red raspberries,rhubarb, 6 hazel nuts, i white mulberry.  On order are 3 chestnut, 5elderberry,  2 Korean pear, 1 Red Haven peach, 2 beach plum,cranberries,  1 fig,  3 kiwi,  1 Goumi , 2 pawpaw, asparagus, andperennial onions.  
There are herbs to seed as well as annuals.


Kibitzthe plans and learn about the process.  We will gather for an overview,split into subgroups if necessary and tour outside and then gatherinside or out, depending upon the weather, and finalize the overallplans.

Transition Milwaukee Water Working Group Project Planning Meeting
6:30-8:30 p.m.   April 7, 2011 Wauwatosa Public Library Conference Room (Second Floor)  RSVP Required due to limited seating. Contact Chris at  tmwaterworkinggroup@yahoo.com


Transition Milwaukee Water Working Group is hosting a 3-month permaculture/ rain harvesting study circle.
The study circles begin at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 13, at the Pink House, 601 EastWright Street, and will continue on Jan. 27; Feb. 10 and 24; March 10and 24 at the same location. The study circle will include a potluckcommunity meal for attendees. We request that all interestedparticipants send an RSVP before attending to tmwaterworkinggroup@yahoo.com

Thewater group is using reading material from Bill Mollison's PermacultureDesigner's Manual and Brad Landcaster's Rainwater Harvesting forDrylands and Beyond, Volume 1: Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain intoYour Life and Landscape. ( http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/.) The permaculture reading material will be provided to all participantswho confirm attendance for Jan 13, but we all need to  buy a copy ofLancaster's book before attending the study circle.

The studycircle discussions will focus on aspects of permaculture that concernwater and how it interacts with a soil landscape.  Participants willlearn techniques to collect rainwater within the local watershed andfor later use during drought, using rain barrels, totes, bio swales,and rain gardens.

PROJECT PHOTOS

 All People's Community Garden

Bryce's Rain Water Collection Workshop

WATER GROUP OBJECTIVES

Embrace values of local resilience and community by working together on any given problem or issue both as individuals and collectively as a sub-group of Transition Milwaukee.

We will learn how and teach others how to build affordable water retention systems that are resource efficient to grow more local food and plants. These demonstration projects will work with natural systems to reduce storm water run-off into sewers and improve water quality for local streams, rivers and Lake Michigan.

We are trying to foster a cooperative relationship with clients and homeowners. All homeowners must work with us on projects so they can learn from the experience. Those physically unable or with extenuating circumstances may request to be excused from this requirement.

We receive an educational benefit from participating in projects. We will forgo any personal monetary compensation for project efforts. Instead, we will explore bartering and time exchange.

Any pledges or contributions received from clients or homeowners will go into a group fund to cover group expenses and support our parent organization Transition Milwaukee and partner Urban Ecology Center. Homeowners will be asked to place a sign in their yard with the Transition logo and information in recognition of the project.

Short Term Goals

Establish a presentation team to show residents, English and non-English speaking, how they can achieve greater water efficiencies.

Create and recruit members for sub-groups: watershed- water conservation- water quality- and policy/advocacy- in order to build shared leadership and allow sub-groups to propose objectives, goals, and actions.

Advocate for urban policies that give residential homeowners incentives for embracing water conservation and urban permaculture methods.

Long Term Goals

Increase the amount of water collection systems in Milwaukee homes, by researching, educating and implementing water conservation methods and affordable urban sustainability projects.

With the assistance of Sweet Water Organics and MSOE, create a backyard aquaponics sub-group.

Guiding Principles

Project efforts should be so successful and elegantly simple that city, county and utility officials are chasing us for our cooperation.

Collaborate with partners and affiliates working on water solutions to assist in creating an environment conducive to keeping our water clean, accessible and available for generations.

GROUP COMMUNICATION

Water Working Group Community List Serve ( 50 members) A community space for water group events and project reminders.

http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=Transition+Milwaukee+Water+Working+Group&sort=relevance

The Water Working Group Member Online Forum ( 17 members)
The Online Forum allows active members to collectively work on projects and event details. You must register and create a login before getting full access to the forum.

Local Resources

Milwaukee Riverkeeper River Revitalization Foundation
Keep Public Our Waters

Internet Resources

Permaculture Activist An Introduction to Permaculture
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster

Oasis Design is a wellspring of decades worth of original designs and content which you won't find elsewhere.

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, the WATER Institute (Watershed Advocacy, Training, Education, & Research)

Greywater Guerrillas: Info about greywater, rainwater harvesting, composting toilets, river restoration, the history of sewers, and more.

Midwest Permacultureprovides webinars, 8-day design certification courses, education, seminars, and classes in permaculture for the Midwest.

Permaculture Institute