Category Archives: Residential Rainwater Collection

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

How to Hire a Contractor or Designer for Your Rainwater Collection System

How to Hire a Contractor or Designer for Your Rainwater Collection SystemRainwater collection is becoming increasingly popular, driven by centralized water and sewer systems unable to meet demands, incentive programs offering rebates (much like solar), water quality, availability, and cost increases from our municipal sources.

Decentralized water systems design and implementation need to be regulated for public safety. ARCSA (American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association) has helped to write code, along with ASPE (American Society of Plumbing Engineers) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) to insure that strict guidelines are met.

RainBank Rainwater Collection Systems recommends that when hiring a designer or contractor for your rainwater harvesting system, ask if they are an ARCSA accredited or certified professional. Members have been trained and are required to have continuing education in order to provide a SAFE source of water. Be sure the designer has experience in the field of water systems and that your contractor has knowledge and experience in How to Hire a Contractor or Designer for Your Rainwater Collection Systeminstallation.

A well designed and installed potable system will provide your household with quality, safe, and reliable water for years to come. Non potable systems also need to be designed with use in mind. Proper sizing and components will be essential in the system’s performance.

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

How Much Does a Rainwater Collection System Cost?

How Much Does a Rainwater Harvesting System Cost?The price range of rainwater collection is as wide as there are different designs. A rainwater collection system can be as simple and as inexpensive as a rain barrel with a single downspout collecting from a small amount of roof. Generally a homeowner can purchase and install the components for this type of introductory system. Small irrigation needs are the key here. Water usage can easily exceed storage.

For larger usage needs, more storage will be required to get through the “dry season”. Based on 3 months of dry and your water consumption requirements, this will help determine total storage needed. Above ground poly tanks are the most economical, with pricing starting around $.55 cents per gallon stored.

How Much Does a Rainwater Collection System Cost?Having a system with multiple uses will help the system to be used more efficiently. If you want to irrigate, why not use the water that would normally overflow  during the rainy season to supplement household usage such as toilet flushing and laundry facility? You have the water available in the summer for irrigating and during the rainy season, you’re getting use and reducing your water and septic bill. This type of design and use will help reduce the cost of your system by supplementing city water use.

Or, you may choose to have your rainwater collection system be your primary water for whole house including potable. The price depends on  type of storage, style of storage, and complexity of design. But, with larger systems you get more “bang for your buck” per gallon stored.

You can make rainwater collection affordable with the right design.

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Rainwater Harvesting Lets Seattle Area Residents Opt Out of City Water

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RAINWATER HARVESTING LETS SEATTLE AREA RESIDENTS OPT OUT OF CITY WATERDo you know that you can collect 624 gallons of water from 1 inch of rain with only 1,000 sq ft of roof area?  

That’s water that you can use for irrigation, toilet flushing, laundry, or even whole house potable (drinking) use. That’s right! 624 gallons. If you have a 1,500 square foot roof area in the Seattle area, this equates to 33,642 gallons of available water. Water that you don’t need to pay for. You can save money on your water, and sewage bill and, over time, pay for your system with that savings. Depending on the application of the captured rainwater, you can supplement your usage through a simple collection system for irrigation or by plumbing in your toilets and laundry facilities. Or, if you choose to have a whole house system designed and installed by a professional, you can eliminate your municipal water usage altogether and have city water as only a back up supply.

Water quality of collected rainwater after filtration and UV disinfection is above that of a municipal water supply, as long as the system is designed, installed and maintained properly. Annual costs of maintenance is much less than your current water bill and is easy to do. Periodic cleaning of your gutters and screening devices along with filter changes a few times a year and replacement of the UV bulb once a year is all there is to it.

Many people in the Seattle area are opting out of city water usage whether it is for potable or non potable use. Supplementary tanks with a small amount of storage can offset your water bill as much as 80%.

A decentralized private water system eliminates the possible threats to your drinking water from environmental concerns, water advisories, price increases,  additives such as chlorine and fluorides and possible rationing, such as in California. You are in control of the quality of your water and its use.Rainwater Harvesting Lets Seattle Area Residents Opt Out of City Water

Rainwater collection is a viable source of water that can sustain any household in Washington State. RainBank Rainwater Collection Systems has been designing and installing rainwater systems in Washington for residential and commercial applications for over ten years and is a American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association Accredited Professional.