Tag Archives: Skagit County

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Good News for Skagit County Property Owners

Click to enlarge map
Skagit River Basin Instream Flow Rule Area. Click to see enlarged map.

Good news for some Skagit County property owners affected by Washington’s Department Of Ecology 2001 In Stream Flow Rules. According to an article in the Skagit Valley Herald, Ecology’s Kristin Johnson-Wagner says, “The county now has the authority to allow wells as a legal source of water for the purpose of issuing building permits.”

The 56 square mile area within the basin extends from Bayview South to La Conner and as far as Sedro-Woolley. Other areas outside the designated area are still subject to the 2001 ruling with hopes that more areas will be relaxed as well.

According to the state’s website, there is an interactive map tool (iMAP) which will help you learn if your property is affected by the Skagit River Instream Flow Rule . Under “Map Categories”, choose “Planning and Development” and then choose “Skagit Instream Rule Area”.  The area affected by the Instream Flow rule will be shown.

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.

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Skagit County Potable Water Solution

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There is a solution for the landowners in Skagit County for potable water and obtaining a building permit, while protecting the in stream flow rules.

Skagit County has issued the first water availability and building permit with rainwater collection as the single source of water for a single family residence. The Department of Ecology has been promoting rainwater harvesting since 2009 statewide. It is up to each county to decide whether potable usage is allowed. Whatcom, King, Jefferson, Island, and San Juan Island counties have been allowing rainwater collection for some time now with great success. The Department of Ecology has encouraged Skagit County to promote the use of RWC with little support from the Health Department.

 

angler-280719_1280Rather than continuing the “water war” in the valley, the Building and Health Departments should be promoting rainwater collection. Let the people know that there is a viable solution, so they can build their homes. Offer real case studies from other counties on the quality, availability, and affordable costs of a RWC system. Education about alternative water sources is available from the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) and myself, president of RainBank Rainwater Systems. There are well over 1,000 potable rainwater collection systems in the state providing clean, safe, and reliable water solutions, at costs similar to well-drilling.

 

Rainwater collection is beneficial to the environment, it mitigates stormwater runoff.  Further benefit is found by protecting and replenishing our aquifers and supporting in stream flow rates.