Category Archives: Residential Rainwater Collection

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Skagit County Permits RWC as Sole Source of Water

1024px-Bald-eagle-140a

Can we protect the Skagit River Salmon Habitat while allowing single family residential development?

The Washington State Department of Ecology has worked with local government, tribes, utilities, and landowners to develop a sustainable water supply solution to the “in stream flow rates” described in RCW19.27.097.  As such, the Skagit County Building Department issued its first building permit for a single-family residence using rainwater collection as the sole source of water supply. The “water availability” was issued by the Skagit County Health Department recently for a single-family dwelling.

The use of rainwater collection as a source of water for building permits has been a solution that ecology has recommended in the past. Development of single-family dwellings in the river basin was unable to proceed with permitting because of well allocations having exceeded the allowed amounts. This left property owners, local governments, and tribes at odds to an agreeable solution. Of course that brings up the question “what effects does rainwater collection have on the river and it’s in stream flow rates.”

The Department of Ecology has conducted studies on rainwater collection and its effect on in stream flow rates and has concluded the practice to be beneficial to in stream flow rates.

From the Department of Ecology: Alternative Water Supplies – “We encourage Skagit and Snohomish County to remove any remaining obstacles to property owner’s use of rainwater and trucked-in water for property owners who find this option attractive and who wish to build without delay.”

RWC tankRainwater is collected and diverted to storage for domestic household use. Then conveyed to filtration and disinfection for potable use resulting in a viable source of safe, clean drinking water. After domestic use, wastewater is directed to a typical septic system and infiltrated on site. Without this process, normal rainfall would simply be considered runoff causing possible erosion or evaporation. Storm water runoff can carry harmful pollutants into bodies of water causing significant damage to salmon habitat. Additionally, evaporation causes very little replenishment to the stream. The use of rainwater collection removes both of these possibilities by diverting the rainfall to storage and, after its use, is infiltrated through an approved septic system, naturally replenishing the stream. Simply put, the water is borrowed for use then returned to its natural flow.

RainBank has been designing and installing rainwater collection systems throughout the Pacific Northwest for 12 years and is pleased to be the installer of the first permitted RWC system in the Skagit River Basin, knowing that the river is protected and landowners have a viable solution for development of their property.

Bald Eagle courtesy of  William H. Majoros (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Rainwater Harvesting Education, Residential Rainwater Collection

An Early and Long Pollen Season

pollenPollen season is just around the corner for us here in Washington State. With the warmer than normal temperatures, we will most likely see an early and long pollen season.

Pollen is a nemesis of rainwater collection and needs to be controlled. Without control, pollen can easily foul our stored water.

As pollen accumulates in cisterns in the spring and summer months, it starts to decay and along with that decay – odor is the result. Simple techniques should be applied in order to keep our stored water “sweet”.

Gutter screens should be cleaned often, as pollen accumulates on the screens themselves with the rain washing the pollen into the gutters and into the cisterns.

Vortex filters screen should be periodically inspected and cleaned as needed. If you do not have a vortex filter, I highly recommend having one installed.

If you use screen baskets in a sump box or the cistern itself, a layer of cheesecloth will catch the pollen before it enters the tank. The cheesecloth should be inspected frequently and replaced as needed.

Keep your stored water clean and odor free with a little extra maintenance during this pollen season. You will be glad you did.

A false color electron microscope scan of pollen. Credit: Dartmouth College/Charles Daghlian

Infrastructure, Residential Rainwater Collection

Skagit County’s First Residential Building Permit With RWC as Sole Source of Water

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skagit-river-looking-east_medSkagit County Planning Department issues its first residential building permit with rainwater collection as sole source of water.

Property owners affected by the in stream flow rule in the Skagit Valley river basin now have a viable solution for residential development of their properties.

Last week, Skagit County Health Department issued a “water availability” based on rainwater collection, allowing construction of a single family residence using rainwater as the sole source of water.

The system design collects rainwater from the roof, which is pre-screened and conveyed to 10,000 gallons of storage adjacent to the house. The water is pressurized, then filtrated using sediment and carbon filters and disinfected by ultraviolet light for whole house, potable use. With an average annual rainfall of 33.2 ” and 3,500 sq. ft. of roof, 72,392 gallons are available for collection. After household use. the water is returned to the soil through the septic system and leach field just like a well system with no ill effects on the in stream flow rates.  

Simple, routine maintenance conducted by the homeowner will supply this 3 bedroom, five occupant home with a safe, reliable, clean source of potable water while benefitting “in stream flow” and salmon habitat.

Skagit River Looking East