Category Archives: Residential Rainwater Collection

Commercial Rainwater Harvesting, Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Rainwater Collection in an Urban Setting


Row of rain barrels connected to a gutter system for water collection.Rainwater collection is becoming increasingly popular for commercial andresidential consumers in urban settings, driven largely by centralized waterunable to meet demands caused by droughts, increased population, along with supplyand demand.

Quality of water is threatened by an aging infrastructure and environmentalconcerns such as the chemical spill in West Virginia last winter. Awareness and concerns of fluorides and chlorine in municipal water supplies areadding to the interest of alternate solutions.

Increased costs to meet storm water management and GSI (green storm waterinfrastructure ) requirements for new construction of commercial andresidential projects are driving owners, designers, engineers, and architects to offset some of the costs involved with implementation.

In a recent report by “the National Resources Defense Council” eight citieswere studied for potential economic impact of rainwater collection. It is estimated the residents of these cities could save 90 million dollars eachyear by adopting simple rainwater harvesting techniques.

Water closet and laundry facilities using rainwater collection are nowbecoming integrated into designs for both commercial and residential application. According to the American Water Works Association,water closetsaccount for approximately 51% of water usage in commercial buildings and approximately 50 % water usage for water closet and laundry facilities inresidential applications.

Rainwater Harvesting Education, Residential Rainwater Collection

Is My Rainwater Safe to Drink?


A clear glass of water placed upside down on a countertop.Sanitization seems to be a most elusive and complicated topic in Rainwater Harvesting for the homeowner, as well as for the designer or operator. There are no general definitive answers as to what deviceor treatment is appropriate for all systems. The main question is “When is my water safe to drink?”

Presently, thousands of people die or become gravely ill due to lack of clean water throughout theworld. Rainwater is generally a safer potable source than surface water; however it may carry pathogensthat could pose a health risk.

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Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

How To Benefit from Rainwater Collection in a Rural Area


Metal silo in a forested residential area under construction.Many King County rural homeowners and farms are finding that rainwater collection as supplementary to their wells or community water systems is helpful in limiting overuse of their water supply.

If you are in a water district or community water association, there are cost increases when you reach a certain level of use. Those who are on a lower producing well may find that supplementation maybe the answer for lowerwater volume or even salt water intrusion. Adding a rainwater collection system can lessen the demand on both.

With more space than an urban building lot, larger storage can be the answer to your water needs. Large grain bin, steel tanks can store as much water as you may need. It is common for rural applications to have10,000 to 50,000 gallons or more of storage. Irrigation, livestock watering, equipment wash down and even whole house use can be achieved with rainwater collection.

Rainwater starts off relatively cleaner than surface water. With simple filtration, non potable applications can be the answer to digging a new or additional wells. With proper filtration and disinfection for potable use, water quality can exceed that of wells or community water without the added chlorine. Large roof areas found on farms can supply enough water for dairies, livestock and domestic use. A study of average rainfall and roof area can guarantee the amount of water you can collect.


Metal silo in a forested residential area under construction.The return on investment of a rainwater harvestingsystem for a farm can be as little as 3 years, saving thousands per year on water costs.

For the rural homeowner with large landscaping, water demand can be expensive. A larger cistern as a supplementary source can save money on your monthly bill from the water district. Whether your needs are large or small for water use you can benefit from rainwater collection in a rural application.