Tag Archives: residential rainwater harvesting

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

What Can You Do to Protect Your Home Water Supply?

Do You Know What's in Your Drinking WaterAccording to a recent article by ARCSA.org about the recent spill affecting West Virginia’s municipal water supply, the chemical in the West Virginia water spill—4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCHM)—is among a long list of chemicals that include perchlorate (rocket fuel), MTBE (an automobile fuel additive), ethylene glycol (anti-freeze), MEK (solvent) and formaldehyde, for which there are no EPA drinking-water limits. That’s right, as unbelievable as it sounds, any amount can be in your drinking water without exceeding the EPA Drinking Water standards.

What can you do to protect your home water supply?   Rainwater harvesting now integrates modern designs, techniques and materials to collect, store, and use rainwater for home and commercial use.

“With increased pollutants in our municipal water system and our environment, there are alternatives that can be incorporated into our daily lives”, according to Ken Blair, President of RainBank, an ARCSA (American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association) lifetime member and an Accredited Professional.  Ken participates in ongoing education on water quality and techniques for rainwater collection and has been designing and installing commercial and residential rainwater systems for more than 10 years, having installed more than 100 potable rainwater harvesting systems throughout Washington state. Ken strives to be the best in the industry, bringing new and improved techniques to his designs.

RainBank Rainwater Catchment Systems has developed a process that incorporates whole house deionization, specifically for residential usage in the Seattle area. Asphalt shingle roofs are predominant in the Seattle area, leaving most residences unable to collect rainwater for potable usage. However, with whole house deionization added to filtration and disinfection systems, virtually all contaminants can be removed, achieving ultra-pure water of laboratory quality. Deionization, along with filtration and UV disinfection can be included in the treatment of not only your rainwater harvesting system but also your city water.

“Contaminated Beach” courtesy of think4photop / www.freedigitalphotos.net

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Why Rainwater Catchment Systems Matter

Do you know that the average annual rainfall of 36 inches in Seattle and a 2,000 square foot roof can collect over 44,000 gallons of rain annually?  That’s over 120 gallons per day of potential usage; well enough to sustain a household of four.

The Elk River in Charleston, W.Va. A coal-processing chemical spill last week cut off water to more than 300,000 people. Tyler Evert/Associated Press
The Elk River in Charleston, W.Va. Tyler Evert/Associated Press

A recent chemical spill in West Virginia emphasizes the vulnerability of our water supplies and reinforces the value of harvesting rainwater.  A professionally designed and installed rainwater collection system will provide a significant amount of clean, safe drinking water for residential and commercial use.

The average home within Seattle city limits may not have much space for storage, however, with just 3,000 gallons of storage, a potable supplementary rainwater catchment system with  2,000 square feet of roof, can mitigate up to 70 percent of your city water use. With new slim line designs of water storage tanks, affordable and practical rainwater catchment systems are being installed within Seattle city limits.

With the cost of city water on the rise, potential disastrous effects such as the West Virginia spill, along with other incidents to municipal water supplies, rainwater harvesting is a viable, safe, and affordable alternative. Whether potable for full household use or non potable for irrigation, toilet, and laundry use rainwater collection is legal in Washington State and in Seattle.

Rainwater collection can create SAFE, decentralized water supplies.

Do you want to learn more about rainwater harvesting? Complete the form below to consult with Ken Blair.

How-to, Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

How to Build a Simple Rainwater Collection System

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How to Build a Simple Rainwater Collection System
Cottage without gutter screen

Over the next few months, RainBank will take you step by step through how to build a rainwater collection system so you can begin harvesting the rain for yourself. (Be sure to subscribe to posts so you don’t miss any!)

All rainwater catchment systems begin at the roof and gutters. Whether you want to irrigate, supplement, or go for potable (drinking water) usage, you need to remove debris before storing rainwater.

 

Cottage with Gutter Screen
Cottage with Gutter Screen

It does not matter what type of roofing material you have – all leaves, pine and fir needles that land on your roof will end up in your gutters. Keeping your gutters clean is a chore most people do not like to do. A good gutter screen is one solution to this issue; it’s advised that it be made of fine mesh stainless steel screen and a solid extruded frame. Gutter screens may be expensive but are worth spending the money on – if you are serious. Maintenance is far easier than gutter cleaning; plus the screens are relatively easy to install.

Do you want to know some tricks of the trade? Stay tuned and feel free to post questions in the comments area below.