Category Archives: Residential Rainwater Collection

Residential Rainwater Collection

Simple Gutter Maintenance Tasks

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A series of large water tanks with connected pipes along a pathway.Asthe weather begins tofeelmore like winter than autumn and our thoughts turn towards family and friends asthe Thanksgiving holiday approaches, don’t neglect your gutter maintenance routine.

No one likes to clean gutters – especially during the holiday season. But, with the winds blowing, this is the most important time of year to be on top of your gutters. Wind blows pine needles and leavesfrom shedding trees – not only into your yard, but into your gutters as well, causing obstructions in the gutters and downspouts. Organic matter, created by tannins in your stored water can be eliminated by removing debris from your gutters and screen baskets. While gutters should be inspected twice permonth and cleaned as necessary to be sure your stored water remains clean and clear, this maintenance practice is most important at this time of year.

Don’t letan accident spoil your holidays. Please remember to take care while on a ladder by following manufacturer’s safety guidelines. To eliminate the need to climb a ladder, gutter screening is the most effective measure of first line screening. Buy good quality gutter screens for highperformance. An extruded framework with stainless steel meshing is desirable.

Don’t forget the screen baskets in either the sump tank or top of cisterns, too. They should be inspected a few times per month and cleaned as needed.

These simple gutter maintenance tasks will help ensure collected water is safe and clean.

Residential Rainwater Collection

Cement Cisterns Collect Urban Rainwater

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With limitedspace in urban areas, cement cisterns are being built beneath homesas a rainwater harvesting solution.

A narrow, covered passage with a person lying inside.With the new “Green Storm Water Infrastructure” or GSI mandate, Seattle based RainBank Rainwater Systems is seeing increased interest in rainwater collection. But, with limited space on an urban building lot, the storage of rainwater in above ground tanks is not an option when required to mitigate thousands of gallons of roof runoff.

With many new residential construction projects building on small city lots, there is just not enough room for a rain garden. One way to solvethis issue is with a cement vault, constructed beneaththe house, which stores the captured rain water for potable use.

The average 2,000 square foot roof area will yield over 44,000 gallons of water. However, a cement vault cistern needs special engineering and considerations. Water weighs approximately 8 lbs per gallon and 1 cubic foot equals approximately 8 gallons. Calculations of weight and sheer need to be engineered for Seattle’s seismic zone. Additional ventilation should be considered along with aeration.

Person spraying concrete or plaster on a wall in a construction setting.Cement water tanks are not naturally waterproof; cracks in concrete can resultyears after construction. The use of a liner, whether spray on epoxy, or a poly bag will prevent groundwater from entering the water tank as well as improve water quality.

Residential Rainwater Collection

Rainwater Systems Provide Years of Quality Domestic Use


A row of houses behind a field and trees under a clear sky.A well-designed and soundly constructed rainwater collection system, with scheduled ongoing maintenance, will provide years of quality domestic use.

RainBank Rainwater Systems has been providing safe, clean, reliable water for whole house usage for years. Recently, we went to Lopez Island to provide maintenance and inspections forsystems installed over a decade ago. RainBank was established on Lopez Island, WA, and it now has some of the longest running systems in the state. These systems were designed and constructed to provide whole house, potable water usage.

A row of houses behind a field and trees under a clear sky.San Juan County was the first county in Washington State to allow rainwater collection for potable use, due to salt water intrusion of wells like RainBank president, Ken Blair’s system. Low production and higher levels of fecal coliform or nitrates are other factors that have plagued wells in this area.

RainBank Rainwater Systems has been providing ongoing, scheduled maintenance for many of these customers since their installs, while other, do-it-yourself customers have observed and learned how to maintain their own systems. All of these rainwater systems are still providing a viable source of water for whole house usage.