Tag Archives: rainwater harvesting

Rainwater Catchment

Is Rainwater Collection for Potable Use the Answer to Skagit County’s Instream Flow Rule?

Is Rainwater Collection for Potable Use the Answer to Skagit County's Instream Flow Rule?In a statement posted December 2013, Jack Moore, CBCO building official writes, “Skagit County is legally required to stop issuing building permits and subdivision approvals in the Skagit Basin that rely on new wells, unless Ecology approves a plan for mitigation or a plan for reliance on a alternative water source during times when minimum in stream flow requirements set in WAC 173-503 are not met.”

With the decision of the state legislature in October of 2009, rainwater collection is legal throughout the state with many County Health Departments adopting for potable usage. Rainwater collection for decentralized potable usage has proven to be a safe, reliable source as an “alternate water source”. Skagit County considers rainwater collection for potable use as a policy and can be legally challenged at this time. The system must be designed by an engineer with knowledge in water systems and be approved by the Health Department.

Spawning coho | Photo: Soggydan/Flickr/Creative Commons License

Rainwater Catchment

Is Decentralized Water and Sewer the Answer to the Puget Sound Region’s Aging Infrastructure?

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Puget_Sound_ferriesWith population growth in the Seattle and surrounding area, the effects of this growth, demand, and aging infrastructure will impact our water and sewer systems economically.

Estimates of costs to upgrade and expand existing systems over the next 20 years are 6.5 billion dollars. According to Luna Leopold, Cascadia Green Building Council, the new “Green Infrastructure Initiative” promotes low- impact development and natural storm water systems.

“It’s our hope that this study, combined with our extensive outreach and advocacy efforts, will spur a broad movement toward more ecological sound water practices and procedures. Greater support for smaller scale, decentralized systems is crucial if we are serious about addressing the negative impacts related to how we manage water and waste.” Explains Jason McLennan CEO of Cascadia Building Council western region.

Click here to read more about Healthy, Resilient Water Systems in the Puget Sound.

Photo: By Grace from Seattle, USA (Puget Sound ferriesUploaded by X-Weinzar) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

How-to, Rainwater Catchment

How Do Bolted Rainwater Collection Tanks Hold Water?

Want to know how we hold water in rainwater harvesting tanks that are bolted together?

RainBank employees hang a 25 mil. PVC liner for an 18,000 gallon tank.
RainBank employees hang a 25 mil. PVC liner for an 18,000 gallon tank.

In order to hold water in rainwater collection tanks that are bolted together, first a heavy geo-textile pre-liner is hung against the steel wall panels to eliminate abrasions from the steel.

Then the liner is hung from the upper row of horizontal bolts.

Plumbing penetrations are made through the cement floor or through the steel walls with flanges.

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