Category Archives: Rainwater Harvesting Education

Rainwater Harvesting Education, Sustainability

Where Can You Learn About Rainwater Harvesting?

The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) is a rainwater harvesting industry membership organization with a broad range of professionals working in private, city, state, and federal government, academia, designers, installers, manufacturers and suppliers of rainwater harvesting equipment, consultants, and individuals interested in preserving, growing and supporting sustainability through rainwater collection.

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

In 1994, Dr. Hari J. Krishna of Austin, Texas founded the 501(c)(3) non-profit American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) to bring renewed attention to the ancient practice of rainwater harvesting. For thousands of years collecting rainwater was a common method for providing water, but over the last century, wells and municipal water supplies took over as primary water sources. The diminishing supply of fresh water in wells and aquifers, concerns of quality and population growth are among the top reasons for the resurgence of rainwater catchment. The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) was created to promote sustainable rainwater harvesting practices throughout the United States and the world.  Read more.

ARCSA is involved in efforts including:

  • Favorable regulatory atmosphere
  • Educating professionals and the public regarding safe rainwater design, installation and maintenance practices
  • Community outreach education through a volunteer board of directors, augmented by regional directors located in various parts of the United States as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe

RainBank Rainwater Systems president Ken Blair is lifetime ARCSA member, ARCSA accredited Professional, ARCSA Systems Inspector, and ARCSA Northwest regional rep. Ken is a available for ARCSA workshops for interested parties as well as local governmental agencies, engineering and architectural firms. Contact Ken using the form below for more information about a workshop for your agency or group.

Rainwater Harvesting Education, Sustainability

Standards Set for Stormwater Collection

a-small-waterfall-143194_640 Standards. They are the benchmarks we use to help us make decisions about the food we eat, the cars we purchase, the schools we choose and the water we use.

The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) have jointly developed a Stormwater Harvesting Standard, which received American National Standards (ANSI) approval.

This new standard offers direction on how to safely apply stormwater collection for direct end-use applications.

“The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is pleased to announce that ARCSA/ASPE/ANSI 78-2015: Stormwater Harvesting System Design for Direct End-Use Applications was approved as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on August 3, 2015”

The standard is set to offer a secure alternate to utility-provided water and to elevate stormwater use to decrease reliance on the aging infrastructure afflicting many municipal water systems.

“Use of the standard will ensure that consumers are not at risk from poor design, installation, maintenance, or illegal work and that the stormwater catchment system will assist in maintaining and enhancing the quality of the environment while assisting compliance with the intent of relevant regulations and government officials.”

Read more about the standard here.

RainBank is proud to be a lifetime member of ARCSA and applauds its ongoing efforts to set and maintain standards for rainwater harvesting.

Rainwater Catchment, Rainwater Harvesting Education

When Will Your County Adopt Rainwater Collection for Potable Use? 

LowWaterPuyallupRiver potableSnohomish County has over 1,000 water districts that are close to drying up, which ramps up the need to purchase potable water from the city of Everett.  Spada Lake is dangerously low, which jeopardizes water availability for fighting fires

Pierce County faces a similar issue – small water districts are running out of supply, forcing the potential for needing to purchase water from the city of Tacoma. The Center for Urban Waters, led by the University of Washington Tacoma, promotes rainwater collection, while some of the districts are not fully supportive of the concept.

Is it time for both of these counties to adopt RWC for potable use?

Snohomish County is surrounded by other counties that have expanded RWC to include potable usage. These counties recognize that potable use of rainwater for single-family dwellings is not a threat to public safety or to the revenue of their water districts. King, Skagit, Whatcom, San Juan, Jefferson, and Island counties all accept the benefits of potable RWC for single-family dwellings.

RainBank Rainwater Systems along with support from the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) will continue to educate these two counties as well as others by offering seminars, workshops, and general discussion on the benefits of RWC to motivate them to allow potable usage of rainwater.

Please watch the recently aired KIRO News report about small water districts that are running out of water.

Photo courtesy of King.