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.
Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Whatcom County Offers New Program for Rainwater Collection

An 1,100-gallon “pre-fabricated“ rainwater harvesting tank is pictured March 24, 2014, at York Farm in the 1400 block of James Street in Bellingham. ANITRA ACCETTURO — Courtesy to The Bellingham Herald

A new program that encourages rainwater collection awareness is being offered to the public for small rainwater harvesting systems in Bellingham.

Anitra Accetturo, program coordinator for the city’s Water Use Efficiency Program, which will provide the grants is also an ARCSA and Bank on Rain member and has spearheaded the program.

Whatcom county already allows potable rainwater collection for residential but this program is proactive in encouraging conservation and awareness.

Click here to read more about this rainwater collection program in the Bellingham Herald.

Infrastructure

California Drought is a Crisis Not an Inconvenience

California Drought MonitorThe news is exploding with commentary on every angle of the drought in California, pitting industry against the general public. With all the posturing of a political thread on Facebook, opposing sides are slinging blame, “the other guy needs to do something” and coming up with “facts” as to why.

A  20% voluntary reduction failed miserably across the board and with 99% of the state feeling the effects of drought and 66% in “extreme or exceptional” drought (according to the US Drought Monitor), it is now clear to all that action needs to be taken immediately — and by all. Governor Brown’s mandatory restrictions of 25% is a start, but they need to be implemented collectively. Limiting lawn watering and driveway wash down,  while a help,  is not going to be the fix. The affluent will simply pay the fines, leaving the burden on the less wealthy, and will also not generate much in the way of water savings. It is difficult to see where anyone has taken proactive drought measures to date, instead relying on “the other guy needs to do something” attitude.  The drought issue should have been appropriately addressed a few years ago. After four years of drought, not much has action has happened, other than to drill deeper.

The solution is for all to collectively to come together and adjust our lifestyle (public) or operations (industry) for the good of all. Simply hoping that the drought will end naturally in another year will most likely end with the same results as this past year’s use, showing more consumption than ever.

We must stop taking water for granted. We turn on the tap and don’t think about the fact that there might not be enough. We’ve never had to worry about it before, so why should we now?

The greatest impact will be made by increasing the price of water – keeping in mind that there needs to be water available for basic needs such as hydration, hygiene and food production. This does not mean high water use agriculture should continue with business as usual.  It may be time to plan for a more sustainable crop based on nutrition needs and resource availability, rather than high profits. Fracking for natural gas and oil in the drought area should be restricted at best, if not halted immediately and the general public should also curtail unnecessary water use.

The drought is a crisis, not an inconvenience. Stalling the fix by means of fighting over the water will end up in a disaster that none of us will be able to live with. A concerted effort, along with a huge change in policy with adherence is needed for long term solutions to this drought.

California has a chance to show the world what its government, people and industry can do in the face of a natural disaster – or they can show us the alternative of what we may indeed have become.

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Seattle Residents are Serious About Rainwater Collection

Underground Tank Construction3Seattle residents want their rainwater catchment systems to make a positive impact on the environment, as well as the quality of their water and rely on professionals to design and install their systems to meet these requirements.

An ARCSA accredited professional, ARCSA lifetime member, and ARCSA regional representative, RainBank’s founder and president Ken Blair has been designing and installing rainwater systems for residential potable usage since 2004.

Ken started his business in the San Juan Islands when it was the only county in the state that had an exception to the water rights law. 100 % of the systems RainBank installed in the San Juans were for potable usage because of salt water intrusion or low producing wells.

Ken moved operations to the Seattle area in 2010, shortly after the statewide change in the law allowing rainwater collection throughout the state, and has met the challenge of design and installation that works within the urban environment.  Click here for more info on Seattle rainwater.

slimline tanksWhole house usage requires enough storage to be a viable sustainable system. Buried tanks and slim line tanks make storage requirements possible in restricted areas.

A non potable system used for toilet flushing and laundry facility requiring little space for storage can be designed to supplement city water. As much as 49% mitigation of city water usage can be achieved when used with dual flush toilets and water saving washing machines.

For potable or non potable use, a rainwater catchment system must be safe, reliable, and easy to maintain for the customer. Rainwater collection system designs for household usage, potable and non potable are regulated by King County Health Department General Department Policies and Procedures for Rainwater Harvesting:  before permitting is awarded. Storage, conveyance, filtration and disinfection must be designed and installed in accordance with plumbing codes for public safety. “Rain water systems that are intended for potable uses must include plans prepared by a licensed professional engineer licensed to practice in Washington AND who is experienced in designing drinking water systems, a group B water system designer licensed by Public Health holding a valid certificate OR accreditation issued by American Water Catchment System Association.”

We all are aware of the commercial building boom in Seattle. With larger roof areas and increased demand on our centralized water systems, many projects are turning to rainwater harvesting to meet the new requirements of retention of runoff water on site. Irrigation, toilet flushing, and wash down systems are being designed with rainwater collection being the source of water as a practical use of this runoff.

RainBank Rainwater Systems meet these projects needs with the most experience in metal tank construction and consulting in design in the Seattle area.