Water can be collected from roofs or hard surfaces (i.e. driveways or parking lots) and stored in small rain barrels or larger cisterns.  This non-potable water can be used to water plants and wash cars.

Collecting water from hard surfaces keeps it from running into storm drains; by saving this water and distributing it during dryer times it allows the water to soak into the soil and benefit from natural filtration before entering Dickinson Bayou.