All posts by Ken Blair

A rainwater collection systems designer and consultant, Ken has designed and installed residential and commercial systems, primarily in the northwest United States for more than 10 years and, in 2014, began consulting and managing builds in other states. Ken is an accredited ARCSA Professional Designer / Installer and Life Member, the Northwest Regional ARCSA representative and advisor to its education committee and is available to speak about Rainwater Collection Systems design and builds. Ken is a United States Navy veteran, having served on active duty during the Vietnam War era. A career entrepreneur, Ken created a new business focus with a commercial dive company in Hawaii in the mid 1980′s to respond to and clean up oil spills, oil spill equipment training, service and maintenance for the oil co-op service industry. Ken is passionate about having a positive impact on the environment and is also a founding director of BANK-ON-RAIN (2011-2014), whose mission is to create grassroots solutions for rainwater collection for consumption and agriculture in developing areas of the planet.
Infrastructure, Residential Rainwater Collection

Rainwater Has Many Uses For Seattle Residents

Seattle-Rain

Seattle residents enjoy the advantage of being able to collect rainwater for both non potable and potable use.

A single family residence can supplement city water for whole house use with rainwater. Rainwater collection has many benefits to the home owner – whether intended for irrigation or household use. Toilet flushing, laundry facility, and wash down are non potable uses that can save water consumption and money on monthly bills.

Systems can be easily installed for new construction or retro-fitted for existing homes. According to the American Water Works Association (AWWA) non potable usage accounts for approximately 52% of residential usage. We know that collected rainwater helps supply nutrients to soil and provides naturally soft water for bathing and washing. With proper filtration and disinfection, the collected rainwater can be used for potable demands (sinks, showers, and drinking water), which account for the other 48% demand.

An average 2,000 square foot roof in Seattle will see over 44,000 gallons of roof runoff annually.

This runoff either enters the city’s stormwater system or enters its combined sewer system. The latter can result in intentional release into the Puget Sound when system are overwhelmed. The City of Seattle is mandated by the Federal Government to meet these challenges by requiring onsite infiltration of all new construction.

Seattle Public Utilities, along with King county, have the daunting task of mapping, upgrading and replacing an outdated public stormwater system. This federally required mandate will be lengthy and expensive.

Decentralized systems are the future.

RainBank Rainwater Systems designs and constructs systems for our clients’ specific needs. We calculate amounts available, usage, storage and automate systems to switch from city water to rainwater, depending on the seasons’ rainfall amounts and the desired usage. This technique optimizes roof runoff to demand, reducing stormwater while lowering city water usage. The water quality is superior, it is good for our Puget Sound and waterways, and it will reduce monthly water bills. We live in an area that is ideal for rainwater collection are you taking advantage of that.

Environment, Infrastructure

Water Stress in the US

drops-of-water-627277_640You might not expect it can happen here in the US, but water stress is heading this way.

Water stress is defined as meaning either the demand for water exceeds its availability or poor quality restricts its use. We know that Flint, MI may have sufficient water supply, but if folks aren’t able to drink it, a water stress (and financial stress) situation exists.

As reported by MSN, “When stress occurs, according to the European Environmental Agency, the deterioration of freshwater resources soon follows and this can lead to illness. For example, a quarter of the globe’s population lacks the necessary resources to access anything more than a feces-contaminated source for their drinking water, risking diarrhea, cholera, polio, and other diseases.”

As we’ve previously written, decentralized water systems may be the best way to protect your family and business from water stress, which according to reports, will hit many areas of the United States within the next 20 years – if we don’t change the way we design and build public water systems.

Will Decentralized Water Systems Flow in the Wake of Flint Crisis? (originally published on 3/10/2016 at RainBank.info)

Matt Grocoff, a writer, speaker and recognized leader in net zero energy and living buildings asks: “What if there is a better way for Flint and other cities to harvest and deliver life-enhancing water?

We’ve talked about why decentralized water systems are important to our public safety and why rainwater collection is a simple source for decentralized water, and how it can be the answer to our aging, centralized water systems. With expected increased demand from high density development and the high cost of upgrading infrastructure to meet those demands, water is becoming a commodity.

In his February 15th post for Michigan Radio, Can Flint crisis inspire better water systems for all of us?, Grocoff goes on to say, “There is no doubt that Flint’s water crisis is an unqualified failure of democracy, but it is also a century-old failure of design and systems thinking.”

With a progressive train of thought, he asks, instead of replacing all of the pipes, how about building a better system? This practical approach has some of us scratching our heads because it makes perfect sense.

As science and technology evolve, we should adapt new practices for designing and building public water systems – for the sake of our health, longevity, sustainability and affordability.

Don’t be caught high and dry when water stress arrives in your community. Learn more about rainwater collection and how you can either replace or supplement your dependence on well or city water supply. Of course, we encourage you to follow this blog (click the box below to subscribe to notifications), or visit the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA.org) for free and timely information about rainwater harvesting.

Infrastructure, Sustainability

Take Action to Make a Difference

Catherine Fenton, Artist
Catherine Fenton, Artist

March 22, 2016 marked another World Water Day, a day set aside for international observation and opportunity to learn about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference.

A Human Right

There are many non profit organizations and devoted individuals that dedicate themselves to the belief that clean water should be a human right.

A Luxury In Africa

The inspiration of artist Catherine Fenton is “women without the luxury of running water that waste hours everyday fetching water. Time that could be spent on education or more productive work.”

Chris Steele-Perkins
Chris Steele-Perkins 1981
SOUTHERN AFRICA. Lesotho. School children during a rainstorm….

In Africa, some women literally carry the burden of collecting water for their families. Clean water sources are often far from their village, demanding that women and girls take action to walk for hours to retrieve their family water supply. The journey can be long, taking hours, subjecting women and girls to carry heavy loads of water on their heads. Education for women can becomes secondary to the needs of hauling water for the family.

Enjoy this African Rain Song