Tag Archives: stormwater runoff

Environment, Rainwater Catchment

3 Reasons Why Everyone Benefits from Rainwater Collection

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20,000 gal residential Bellingham WaAs our population continues to grow in the Seattle and Puget Sound area, demands on our municipal water sources will increase. Costs to repair, upgrade, and expand these centralized systems in order to meet these demands will become more of a challenge.  Here are 3 reasons why everyone benefits from rainwater collection:

  1. Conserves water: 

Rainwater can be collected as a supplementary source or as an alternative to a centralized source. Whether collected rainwater is used for irrigation or potable use, the water savings can be significant for the individual and the community. Over 70 percent of household usage is for irrigation of landscaping, toilet flushing and laundry facility. Depending on collection area and rainfall, whole house demands can be met.

  1. Reduces stormwater runoff:

Stormwater is a concern environmentally as well as economically. The average 2,500 square foot roof in Seattle will yield over 56,000 gallons annually to runoff unless captured and used or infiltrated. Captured rainwater can be used, and then infiltrated passively, rather than carrying contaminants to our lakes, streams, and bodies of water.

  1. Conserves energy:

Any water from a decentralized water system is not processed through a municipal water district where all water is processed to drinking water standards – no matter what its end use will be – such as use in landscaping. Even though a homeowner buys their water for pennies on the gallon, treating water costs a lot of money to process. Most of the costs are absorbed through large users such as manufacturing and farming, however less water being treated at the water districts equals less energy needed for processing and conveyance.

I want to know what you think about how we can all benefit from rainwater collections. Leave your suggestions in the comments section below – or ask me how YOU can benefit from rainwater collection at your home or business.

Infrastructure, Rainwater Catchment

What is the Connection Between Rainwater and Stormwater?

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rain-432770_1280Stormwater is rainwater that has not been collected and stored for future use, infiltrated or managed at the source. Rainwater, when not stored for future use or infiltrated on site, will flow into storm drains picking up toxins on the way and eventually will end up in our waterways.

The EPA has identified “stormwater as the greatest source of water pollution”.

With proper filtration and disinfection, the practice of rainwater collection for landscaping, toilet flushing, laundry, commercial and industrial use, along with potable use for single family residences, can minimize storm water runoff. The use of swales and rain gardens to lessen the effects of storm water from urban sprawl are helping reduce the effects of stormwater runoff.

According to the EPA “rainwater harvesting systems are recognized as a Low Impact Development (LID) technique for stormwater management.” As a result, many states, counties and cities have adopted and encourage rainwater collection. The EPA recognizes that the “effectiveness of a rainwater harvesting system for managing stormwater runoff depends on the presence of a consistent and reliable demand that can draw down the cisterns and ensure adequate volume for storm water retention.” A system that is sized properly by taking daily rainfall amounts into account, rather than yearly averages – and design that includes a full range of use during those peak events, or enough storage to minimize overflow, are going to be the most effective. 

Whether commercial or residential, rainwater collection, when sized properly and used regularly on a scale that lessens the overflow amount from the cistern, has the most positive effect on stormwater management.

To read more from the EPA on rainwater collection and stormwater see http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/upload/rainharvesting.pdf 

Infrastructure, Rainwater Catchment

Making Smart Choices About Water Use

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Rainwater collection is growing in popularity in the United States, including here in the Seattle area. Many commercial and residential new construction projects are discovering that rainwater collection can save costs on complying with the mandated GSI (green storm water infrastructure) of infiltration on site while saving water use and energy at the same time.

Treating water for potable standards is not energy efficient for municipal water districts. Even though water is cheap for the consumer, it does require high costs to maintain this level of quality to potable standards. The reason the costs are low to the consumer is because of the large amounts of water being sold to manufacturing and farming. On a large scale, reducing the energy needed by using untreated water for toilet flushing and laundry facilities could reduce the costs of water from these water districts. Imagine the reduction of energy saved if all commercial new construction implemented RWC for this use only.

AWWA iIndoor water use chartBased on this chart from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) toilets make up 28% of residential water consumption without conservation and laundry 21%. The use of high efficiency toilets, washing machines and low flow devices will reduce the amounts even more.  A simple rainwater collection system for toilet and laundry will reduce household demand of municipal water by 49%. Imagine the savings on a larger scale for energy, storm water runoff, depletion of our aquifers, and demands on a centralized water system.

Every drop of water is important and we can make smart choices about where every drop goes.