Category Archives: Sustainability

Infrastructure, Sustainability

More Cuts to Seattle Water Usage

Seattle area consumers were asked to cut water usage another 10% after a 25% voluntary reduction was met last month.

According to the Seattle Times, “If conditions worsen, officials for each water system will decide whether to move to a third stage of shortage planning: requiring customers to cut their water use.”  

RainBank customers have benefitted from this past weekend’s rainfall by collecting the rain. A RainBank customer who had a 15,000 gallon irrigation system installed 4 years ago just wrote an email to us saying he just ran out of water last week. With a 3,000 sq. ft. roof and a 2″ rainfall over the weekend, this consumer and his family are right back to having 3,738 gallons – just like that.  A new customer in Bellevue with 2,000 sq. ft. of roof just collected his first 2,492 gallons from this weekend’s rainfall and is on the way to filling a 12,000 gallon storage tank that will be used for toilet flushing, laundry facility, and irrigation.

Customers on Vashon Island have reported that their tanks were just about empty and now they have enough water for another month. Customers all over the Puget Sound region who have had rainwater collection systems installed by RainBank Rainwater Systems are “singing in the rain”.

Whether you want rainwater collection for irrigation, toilet flushing, laundry facility, wash down, or whole household potable use, there is a system design that will fit your needs. RainBank Rainwater Systems has installed more rainwater storage systems than any other in Washington State. With 15 years’ experience, RainBank has the expertise to get the job done right. RainBank’s personnel are ARCSA accredited, which requires ongoing, continuing education. RainBank is a progressive, full service company offering design, construction, and maintenance of the systems we install.

The outlook for next summer is much the same as this summer. With population growth, failing infrastructure, and more demand on our local water supplies, you can count on shortages again. Wildfires will pose a threat again next summer in Eastern Washington. Being ready to meet these challenges with stored water may just save your home.

RainBank Rainwater Systems builds CorGal steel water tanks in all sizes for residential and commercial applications. RainBank also installs above ground and below ground poly water tanks for potable and non potable use. Some customers have rainwater collection as their sole source of water including the first sole source for a single family residence in Skagit County.

Contact us, or give us a call at 360-298-4719. We will help meet your water storage needs.

Infrastructure, Sustainability

Should Drought Stricken Families be Thankful for a Tankful?

droughtExtreme drought, dry wells, wildfires, and lost jobs are forcing us to take a careful look at our water usage priorities.

If we don’t preserve water, what will happen to our children?

This is an important question asked by a central California man whose well has run dry and now must rely on water delivered by the county to a tank that is shared by 2 families. Each delivery supplies about 1 week’s worth of water.

I encourage you to watch this video and consider the questions: What’s more important – golf or families?  Is all water use created equal?

Drought Talk: Is All Water Use Created Equal?

Is a class war lurking behind the drought?

Posted by AJ+ on Thursday, August 20, 2015

Environment, Rainwater Catchment, Sustainability

Protect Your Home and Business from Wildfires

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wildfire-568617_640Over 600,000 acres have burned in wildfires in Washington State this fire season and 5,100 homes are currently threatened.

Fire is a frightening concept, but an unfortunate reality. In rural areas, away from municipal resources, a water tank used strictly for fire suppression may be the only way to protect your family, farm, house, or business.

An exterior wildfire suppression system includes an array of sprinklers supplied by a water source. If there is no natural w
ater source, a water storage tank designated as the source of water supply can make the difference in protection. Sprinklers attached to the roof and around the perimeter of the building are meant to saturate and create humidity. The idea is to soak the property’s vegetation and roof of the home.

The amount of time a system will run depends on amount of water available. A system with 30,000 gallons of storage can prodsteel tanksuce 30 gallons a minute for 16.6 hrs. If used with a wetting agent, the solution will stay intact for a longer period. Having a source of water designated for fire protection can be an investment that could save your home.

RainBank Rainwater Systems has been installing corrugated steel water tanks for over 15 years and recognizes the benefit of onsite water storage for wildfire protection. The National Fire Protection Association provides codes and standards for fire protection that are available for free for online viewing.

Through its Fire Adapted Communities Program, the NFPA offers information and specific actions you can take, to lower your risk in the event of a wildfire. Take a look to learn about how you can protect your home and your community from the devastation of wildfires.