Tag Archives: ARCSA

Rainwater Harvesting Education

Washington State Should Offer Education on Rainwater Collection & Conservation Methods

Is it too controversial to say that Washington State has the opportunity to show others how to plan for drought?

girl in rainCalifornia failed to see the possible long term effects of an extended drought and now water supplies at current levels are not sustainable, even with a 25% reduction in usage. It is pretty obvious that California and other states should have taken conservation measures more seriously and swiftly early on. Simply hoping for rain with little emergency declarations until a drought becomes a crises, is not the solution. Conservation measures before the crisis becomes too big is the possibility here for Washington.

With the declaration of a drought emergency, Governor Inslee has asked the legislature for $9.5 million in drought relief funding.

According to the Department of Ecology May 2015:

Ecology has proposed using the drought relief money in the following ways:

  • $3.896 million for public agricultural irrigation projects water leasing and/ or acquisition.
  • $2 million to municipal water utilities for emergency drought funding.
  • $1.187 million to WDFW for salmon and trout protection.
  • $2.2 million for Yakima emergency well pumping mitigation.
  • $187,000 to hire temporary state staff to respond to the drought emergency.
  • $100,000 Stream Flow Monitoring.
  • $25,000 Conservation Education.

Unfortunately this response is “putting out the fire” but what about future droughts? We could keep drilling and hoping for rain, or we could be proactive by allocating more than $25,000 in education. A good place to start would be education of our legislature on rainwater collection and how our state could encourage rainwater collection and known conservation methods. Our legislature could listen to industry leaders from the national association (ARCSA) American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, on the benefits of rainwater collection. Enact legislation that can reduce residential and commercial demands of our centralized water systems. Offer incentive programs that have some teeth, and that really can make a difference.

Education at the state government level about rainwater collection and conservation methods that the state could enact would be money well spent for the future.

Professional Development

Does Your Installer Follow Plumbing Codes for Rainwater Collection?

glass-475446_640Does Your Installer Follow Plumbing Codes for Rainwater Collection?

In 2013, ARCSA (American Rainwater Catchment Systems), ASPE (American Society of Plumbing Engineers) , IAMPO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials) and NSF (National Safety Federation)  established guidelines and code for rainwater collection systems.

The standard is intended to cover all of the requirements for design and installation of RWCS. The requirements in this standard are set to meet the minimum requirements and to assure safe practices for design and installation of potable rainwater collection systems.

ARCSA Accredited Professionals are trained through approved instructional sessions and must submit to continuing education arcsalogocredits every year to retain their status. Members include a host of professionals in engineering, microbiology, plumbing professionals and industry leaders, who have additional opportunities for development through networking, workshops, and conferences. ARCSA professionals are the leaders in the rainwater collection industry.

Be sure to hire only the best for your RWC design and installation to assure your system is designed and installed correctly, and meets plumbing code and adheres to safe practices.

For a listing of Accredited Professionals in you area please contact www.arcsa.org.

Rainwater Catchment, Rainwater Harvesting Education

Water and Sustainable Development

UN World Water Day logoOn World Water Day 2015, ARCSA, as well as dozens of other organizations, stepped up to encourage the use of rainwater collection as a vital tool in efforts to deal with local and global water-related issues existing today. According to ARCSA, “Rainwater provides numerous benefits: 

  • Rainwater is a valuable resource that is underutilized.  Its harvest and use can alleviate challenges related to water resources, potable, non-potable, and stormwater, and energy for pumping water. 
  • Local rainwater harvesting solutions enhance water security and provide important relief to households and communities. All around the world, rainwater infiltration, and collection, storage and use offer benefits for the environment, wildlife and humans, e.g. improved water quality and availability for urban areas, industry and agriculture. 
  • It is time for rainwater catchment to be included in the development plans of all governmental agencies as part of their integrated watershed management strategies. 
  • Introduction of the concept of rainwater management – maximizing rain’s benefits as a vital resource while minimizing potential rain hazards – to curricula of technical schools and universities will bring future benefits to urban planning, architectural and agricultural projects.”

The United Nations has designated March 22 as World Water Day, celebrated annually, and this year the focus topic was Sustainable Development and how water links to all areas – health, nature, urbanization, industry, energy, development and food.  See more below:

In conjunction with World Water Day, the UN releases its comprehensive annual report – the World Water Development Report, which addresses world water issues and promotes sustainability.

Click here to download the full report, which offers several anecdotes and case studies of how rainwater harvesting is being used worldwide to mitigate the effects of over population, aging infrastructure, drought and stretched resources.