Category Archives: Environment

Environment

Toxic Chemicals Taint 8 Alabama Public Water Systems

Great Blue HeronRecently, the EPA set a stricter health advisory for toxic chemicals perfluorooactanoic acid, or PFOA, as well as for perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, once made or used at factories near, and thereby affecting 8 Alabama public water systems.

Residents and businesses in the affected area are scrambling to procure bottled water for their families and customers this summer, as a $4 million temporary filtration system isn’t expected to be completed until September.

The Wall Street Journal reports, “Factories for decades used PFOA as a plastic coating to make consumer products such as Teflon nonstick pans, waterproof jackets and pizza boxes. PFOS was used to make stain resistant carpets and other products. A multiyear medical study in the 2000s of 70,000 people near a plant in West Virginia that made PFOA found “some suggestions” of “probable links” between high exposure to the chemical and illnesses, including cancer. Studies have found PFOS to be harmful to the immune systems of animals.”

After long-term exposure to these toxic chemicals, what does this mean for area folks with gardens, restaurants, families? How will this affect the natural balance of wildlife in the area?  We have no answers; only time will tell.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal

Read more at Alabama.com

Photo credit: A great blue heron on the Tennessee River. (Photo by Beth Young, courtesy Tennessee Riverkeeper)

Environment, Sustainability

Why Water Lifecycle Matters

watercycle-kids-screenAn informative, fun and interactive diagram jointly developed by The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) outlines an easy to follow water-cycle diagram for schools.

RainBank has previously discussed this phenomenon, in an article from May 2015:

The continual movement of rainfall from the bodies of water, land, and the atmosphere is part of the hydrologic cycle.

The cycle starts with condensation. When water vapor condenses in the atmosphere it forms clouds, when the condensation becomes too heavy rain is formed and the clouds release the rain.

water lifecycleWhen rainfall reaches the surface it infiltrates into the soil, becoming groundwater. The infiltrated groundwater recharges our aquifers, rivers and lakes. Water that runs off the surface is referred to as stormwater.  Water is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation by the sun heating the water, changing it to a gas and it rises into the atmosphere and becomes vapor again.

Depending on soil conditions, the movement of stormwater across the surface can cause erosion and also carry pollutants into our bodies of water. This is why stormwater management is so important. Stormwater management practices such as infiltration, or collection, slow down the process of surface water runoff and helps keep erosion to a minimum. Much of the pollutants associated with stormwater runoff are not carried to our larger bodies of water – keeping our natural environment healthy.

It is important to have a basic understanding of water’s lifecycle in order to fully capture the meaning of why rainwater collection is so important to having a sustainable future.

Environment, Rainwater Catchment

Can Seattle Area Residents Opt Out of City Water?

gift-505591_640Saving money and helping the environment are two good reasons why many Seattle residents choose to opt out of city water usage. Whether the application is for potable (drinking) or non potable use, like irrigation, supplementary tanks with even a small amount of storage can help drop water bills by as much as 80%.

Collect 624 gallons of water from 1 inch of rain with only 1,000 sq ft of roof area.

That’s water that you can use for irrigation, toilet flushing, laundry, or even whole house potable (drinking) use. That’s right! 624 gallons. If you have a 1,500 square foot roof area in the Seattle area, this equates to 33,642 gallons of available water. Water that you don’t need to pay for. You can save money on your water, and sewage bill and, over time, pay for your system with that savings. Depending on the application of the captured rainwater, you can supplement your usage through a simple collection system for irrigation or by plumbing in your toilets and laundry facilities. Or, if you choose to have a whole house system designed and installed by a professional, you can eliminate your municipal water usage altogether and have city water as only a back up supply.

Water quality of collected rainwater after filtration and UV disinfection is above that of a municipal water supply, as long as the system is designed, installed and maintained properly. Annual costs of maintenance is much less than your current water bill and is easy to do. Periodic cleaning of your gutters and screening devices along with filter changes a few times a year and replacement of the UV bulb once a year is all there is to it.

A decentralized private water system eliminates the possible threats to your drinking water from environmental concerns, water advisories, price increases, additives such as chlorine and fluorides and possible rationing, such as in California. You are in control of the quality of your water and its use.

Not a new concept, in the past few years, rainwater collection has become wildly popular as a safe source of water for households and businesses in Washington State. As with any industry, know your pro. An ARCSA accredited professional and ARCSA’s NW Regional Representative, RainBank’s Ken Blair has been designing and installing systems for 15 years. The team at RainBank is bolstered by an on staff engineer and plumber. When planning your system, consider RainBank Rainwater Systems to be your one-stop choice for design, water tank and component sales, installation and consultation.

This article was originally published under the title Rainwater Harvesting Lets Seattle Area Residents Opt Out of City Water at RainBank.info