Category Archives: Infrastructure

Infrastructure, Rainwater Catchment

King County Technical Changes to Rainwater Collection Codes

seattle-skylinePublic Health Seattle & King County On-site Sewage System Program Supervisor Lynn Schneider goes before the King County Board of Health to explain the adoption of reference numbers to align with state references to plumbing code for individual wells.  As rainwater collection moves into the mainstream, King County Codes are being updated for rainwater collection to align with the health code numbers.

Click below to watch clip (referenced media is from 1:03 to 1:07:

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Live and Recorded Public meetings of Board of Health on 2015-10-15 1:30 PM for King County

No changes are being made to rainwater collection codes, just the numbers, so as to mitigate confusion between King County code numbers and state Board of Health documents. It represents a technical, not a policy change.

Infrastructure, Potable

Are Carcinogens In Your Drinking Water?

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sacramento-704723_640If you drink water, you may want to watch this alarming video of an investigative story about carcinogen levels found in the public water system in Sacramento, CA.

“In 2013 and 2014, the City of Sacramento tested a new chemical at its main water treatment plant, and an ABC10 investigation found the substances that formed in the city’s drinking water system as a result, could cause cancer. Testing of the chemical called aluminum chlorohydrate, or ACH, almost immediately sent up warning signs that something was seriously wrong, and even though those red flags continued for an entire year, the city didn’t stop and didn’t warn people about a hazard.”

Click to watch:

Sacramento’s Drinking Water Secret

In 2013 and 2014, the City of Sacramento tested a new chemical at its main water treatment plant, and an ABC10 investigation found the substances that formed in the city’s drinking water system as a result, could cause cancer.

When asked why the findings weren’t reported to the public, a city official replied that as long as they were in compliance, public reporting wasn’t necessary.

Infrastructure, Residential Rainwater Collection

Can Structures be Spared from Wildfires?

The summer of 2015 was one of the costliest and deadliest for the U.S. Forest Service. Spending around $200 million per week, the service battled drought-driven wildfires across the country during this time. According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Oregon and Washington were among the hardest hit states, with hundreds of thousands of acres burned, human and animal lives lost, homes and businesses decimated.

Here is a reminder about how steel tanks might mitigate loss in a wildfire situation:

wildfire-568617_640Fire is a frightening concept, but an unfortunate reality.

In rural areas, away from municipal resources, a water tank used strictly for fire suppression may be the only way to protect your family, farm, house, or business.

An exterior wildfire suppression system includes an array of sprinklers supplied by a water source. If there is no natural water source, a water storage tank designated as the source of water supply can make the difference in protection. Sprinklers attached to the roof and around the perimeter of the building are meant to saturate and create humidity. The idea is to soak the property’s vegetation and roof of the home.

The amount of time a system will run depends on amount of water available. A system with 30,000 gallons of storage can prodsteel tanksuce 30 gallons a minute for 16.6 hrs. If used with a wetting agent, the solution will stay intact for a longer period. Having a source of water designated for fire protection can be an investment that could save your home.

RainBank Rainwater Systems has been installing corrugated steel water tanks for over 15 years and recognizes the benefit of onsite water storage for wildfire protection. The National Fire Protection Association provides codes and standards for fire protection that are available for free for online viewing.

Through its Fire Adapted Communities Program, the NFPA offers information and specific actions you can take, to lower your risk in the event of a wildfire. Take a look to learn about how you can protect your home and your community from the devastation of wildfires.

This is a throwback Thursday post from RainBank, originally published on August 24, 2015  under the title Protect Your Home and Business from Wildfires