All posts by RainBankAdmin

Infrastructure, Rainwater Catchment

Rainwater Collection Industry Alliance

wave-64170_640ARCSA (American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association) recently announced an alliance with the Green Water-Infrastructure Academy (GWI), where they will work together to cultivate and execute an integrated “expert-based” and “service-based” process for “information-sharing and research” within the United States and other countries to promote the use of rainwater.

In its announcement, ARCSA reports “Both organizations are dedicated to global water-resource sustainability through knowledge transfer and capacity building. These organizations recognize that rainwater and stormwater are underutilized resources and that their harvest and appropriate uses can alleviate water challenges related to scarcity and poor quality of existing potable and non-potable water sources, stormwater runoff management and energy consumption.”

The rainwater collection industry is riding a wave of growth as individuals and communities become aware of the fragility of our current infrastructure – as aging systems increase potential for lead in pipes carrying water into our homes and businesses. As the industry grows, there is a need for standards and best practices that will result in systems that can provide clean and safe water to the public. This alliance addresses that need for education and standards.

The mission of the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) is to “promote sustainable rainwater harvesting practices to help solve potable. non potable, stormwater and energy challenges throughout the world.”

RainBank is a lifetime member of ARCSA, and ARCSA’s Northwest regional representative, RainBank offers workshops for education and promotion of rainwater collection. With 15 years of establishing, applying and promoting rainwater collection best practices, RainBank Rainwater Systems’ practices dovetail with ARCSA’s mission statement.

Rainwater Catchment

Good News For Washington Drought Watchers

flower-768115_640The drought that hit Washington state in 2015 has been nearly eradicated due to heavy rains and snow to ring in 2016. According to the the U.S. Drought Monitor, the south-east corner of the state is still in moderate drought, but with a high percentage of Washington’s water supply coming from snowpack accumulations and which statewide are more than 100 percent of normal for this time of year, most Washingtonians are sitting pretty when it comes to water supplies since forecasts for the April-September runoff period are within the normal range.

What does this mean for the future of water conservation in Washington state?

According to its website, “The Water Supply Availability Committee (WSAC) will continue to meet in 2016 to evaluate current and forecasted water supply conditions and to consider whether drought conditions are likely to be in effect spring and summer.  This web page is provided to track the meeting information for this group.

The 2015 statewide drought declaration expired December 31, 2015.  Forecasts for January thru March 2016 are for warmer, drier conditions as a result of El Niño. Ecology will continue to evaluate conditions and monitor water supplies.”

What does this mean for folks who use water in Washington state?

RainBank had a busy first quarter designing and installing rainwater collection systems in the Puget Sound area and Portland, OR. These were projects where residents and businesses wanted to capture the El Niño driven rains for drinking, irrigation, toilet and/or laundry facilities. Some will use their systems to supplement well or city water, while others are able to go completely off-grid and use rainwater to supply all of their needs.

We don’t have to wait for drought to set our conservation plans in motion. Be proactive and contact RainBank today to learn how you can include rainwater harvesting in your new construction or remodeling project. We work closely with general contractors and architects to design and construct the most efficient, well-constructed system you can find anywhere in the country. We stand by our systems, many of which are still operating after 15 years.

Infrastructure

Flint Water Crisis and Financial Stress for US Water Utilities

1 Comment

 

poison-159083_640From Washington state to New York, from Michigan to Louisiana – if you think the Flint poisoned water crisis doesn’t affect you and your family, think again.

We’ve been writing about the issues surrounding our aging infrastructure since starting this blog two years ago. Our post from June 2014 outlines how much it would cost to upgrade our aging public water systems.

A recent article in USA Today, Flint Water Crisis Could Cost U.S. $300 Billion, explores the broader financial consequences to Flint’s drinking water crisis, which may compel regulators and water suppliers to spend more than a quarter-trillion dollars on infrastructure upgrades sooner than originally expected.

Fitch Ratings Inc., one of the three nationally recognized statistical rating organizations designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is quoted as saying, “We believe the capital costs to replace these lines could exceed $275 billion”. According to the article, “more than 6 million lead service lines exist across the country, according to estimates cited by Fitch. Many of these are located in the Northeast, Midwest and older urban areas.”

More from Fitch: if costs are spread over a sufficient amount of time, they could be manageable. But, if those changes need to be executed sooner, it could cause financial stress for some water utilities.

Add to these costs, lawsuits filed in the wake of the Flint water crisis, we can reasonably expect increases to be passed on to consumers to cover upgrades and damages.

Lawsuits have already been filed in local, state and federal courts on behalf of Flint residents who drank lead-tainted water for nearly two years. The complaints name a long list of state and local agencies and officials, from Gov. Rick Snyder to Flint city employees, with charges ranging from civil to criminal, and including pipe replacement as well as long-term medical monitoring and health care.

All of this could accelerate changes to EPA drinking water regulations as they relate to lead. According to Fitch, “In light of these lawsuits and the heightened public focus on possible lead contamination, Fitch expects any proposed rule revisions will likely move the industry toward removing all lead service lines,” the rating agency said Friday. “Reprioritizing and accelerating lead pipe replacement would add significant additional capital needs to the sector and could compete with other critical infrastructure projects, including developing sufficient long-term water supplies and replacing aging infrastructure components other than lead lines.”

Flint is just one city in our large nation. Think about how this could affect your family – it is a health and financial issue for all of us to get behind. It can happen anywhere and likely already is.