Monthly Archives: January 2016

Residential Rainwater Collection

What Storage is Best for a Rainwater Collection System?

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buried tankStorage for domestic, household use (potable) is required by code to be NSF approved for drinking water. RainBank Rainwater Systems of Seattle recommends that any storage for residential systems meet this standard. An irrigation system can be converted to domestic use safely if the cistern is NSF approved.

Available space, along with aesthetics, should be considered in what type of water tank best suits the intent and design.

15,000 gal. residential WaWater tanks can be steel, polyethylene, fiberglass, or cement. There are bladder-type pillow tanks that can be placed in crawl spaces or buried tanks that have zero visual impact. Bolted together, galvanized steel water tanks have a liner inside the tank, while the steel shell provides protection and structure for the liner. Polyethylene (plastic) water tanks are the most cost effective. Additional tanks can easily be added in the future. Slimline tanks or Box tanks can be used for limited available space applications.

Lopez TanksInstallation requirements, codes, durability, warranty, and volume, should be considered as well.

A professional designer with experience in rainwater collection should have information to assist in making your decision for your water storage needs.

RainBank is an ARCSA accredited designer and full service installer of rainwater systems and also consults on water systems for both potable, household water use and non-potable for landscaping irrigation and toilet flushing. RainBank will design, install and package systems from 2,500 gallons to 50,000 gallons. Contact us.

Environment

Good News For Drought Watchers

Washington State Drought MonitorHere’s some good news for Washington state drought watchers – the Department of Ecology has lifted the drought emergency and the governor’s Executive Water Emergency Committee recommends the drought declaration not be continued for this year.

More Good News

Heavy rains and snow have pulled Western Washington completely out of the woods, with the eastern portion of the state quickly following suit. The  U.S. Drought Monitor still shows eastern Washington in the dry to moderate zone, but compared with the report from just three months ago, the turnaround is sizable.

Since much of Washington’s water supply comes from snowpack accumulations, and which are more than 100 percent of normal for this time of year, current conditions just don’t meet the criteria required for the declaration of a drought emergency.

Weather forecasts for through March are for warmer, drier conditions as a result of El Niño, so Washington’s Water Supply Advisory Committee will continue to monitor water supply.

Rainwater Catchment

Rainwater Catchment Components from RainBank

tank below grade w_ concrete foundationRainBank Rainwater Systems is the foremost rainwater collection designer, installer, and supplier of rainwater catchment components in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.

RainBank embraces an integrated, progressive approach to sustainable, premium water systems and works with eco-friendly homeowners seeking to add rainwater collection or assimilate into plans for a new premium or custom built residence.

Architects consult RainBank’s expertise at the development stage, for ease of integration of rainwater harvesting into premium residential and commercial projects.

High-end building contractors specializing in custom builds, work with RainBank to ensure the highest quality and appropriately sized steel tanks for their clients’ water storage needs.

RBRWC917154RainBank is an American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) accredited designer/installer of non-potable and potable water systems for residential and commercial applications.

Following our 2015 announcement that we are a dealer of the Wisy 4-step rainwater collection system, we are eager to share that we’ve added even more items to our product line:

Steel Water Storage Tanks: RainBank has been awarded a Pinnacle Water Tank dealership for Washington and Oregon and is a Contain Water Systems Inc. certified installer. Read more. 

Pump without controllersDavey Pumps: If you’ve got low water pressure, a Davey BT Series booster pump (available with or without controllers) can solve your low pressure woes by boosting your existing water supply and giving you the ultimate in strong, even water pressure. The Torrium-II® boosts low or fluctuating mains water pressure to give you strong, even water pressure for your comfort and convenience.

Use the form below to request pricing and ordering information.