Tag Archives: sustainability

Rainwater Catchment, Sustainability

Good News for Seattle Rainwater Collection Community

The Space Needle appears upside down in raindrops on the window of a car in January. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times)
The Space Needle appears upside down in raindrops on the window of a car in January. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times)

The Seattle Times reports, “Between the beginning of December and Thursday night, a total of 22.78 inches of rain fell at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the official climate station for Seattle. The winter months have also been warmer than usual in Seattle, with no measurable snow and higher than average temperatures in December and February.”

If El Niño predictions of a warmer wetter Spring are correct, rainwater harvesters in Seattle can expect their cisterns to remain at high levels leading into summer.

Our neighbors to the South in California have seen increased rainfall this winter, but are already hoping for a wetter Spring. “Sacramento is in the peak of it’s rainy season, but there is no substantial rain in the forecast. The Sierra snowpack has fallen below normal levels for this time of year.” reported by the Sacramento Bee. Jan Null, a private consultant with Golden Weather Services explains, “This year’s winter is yet another reminder that El Niños are unpredictable and any long-range weather forecast is suspect. The nexus of warm water in the Pacific is farther West than usual this year. That is a factor in determining where the rainfall will fall.”

According to federal water planners, surface and groundwater supplies available now will not meet water demands in the future. In order to meet the demand, we must conserve water and develop alternative supplies now. The American Rainwater Catchment Association (ARCSA) advocates that one solution is rainwater collection, which captures, diverts, stores, uses, and returns water to the aquifers by infiltration. Rainwater can be used for irrigation, and livestock watering. If properly filtered it is a great source for laundry and toilette facility. Captured rainwater, after being properly treated can be used for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.

RainBank Rainwater Systems has been part of this conservation movement for more than 15 years, with designs and installs throughout the Pacific Northwest for commercial and residential systems. We are the Northwest Master Dealer for Contain Water Tanks Inc. and dealer of Wisy products. RainBank offers dealership opportunities for those who are wanting to expand their business in water conservation and rainwater collection. RainBank Rainwater Systems offers ARCSA accredited system designs, permitting, in house engineering, licensed plumbers, and a progressive approach.

Use the form below to contact us about becoming a dealer.

Infrastructure, Sustainability

Water Is a Limited Resource We Can’t Live Without

polar-bear-484515_640As World Water Day 2016 approaches (March 22) , I’d like to share this throwback Thursday blog post with you as a reminder that water is a limited resource, without which life cannot be sustained.

As more and more cities are showing signs of water stress due to aging infrastructure, we must pay attention to the fact that Americans are being poisoned by their water supplies – and that is a public health crisis.

As we shared in 2015, “According to the World Water Development Report by the United Nations “A 40% shortfall of freshwater would be experienced as soon as 15 years.” Eight cities throughout the world were cited to witness severe fresh water shortages due to failing infrastructure, saltwater intrusion, sewage and plumbing failures, population growth, and pollution. The report went on to recommend actions of”… read more.

More about World Water Day: World Water Day is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference.

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of water. For 2016, the theme is  ‘Water and Jobs’, to focus on the correlation between water, work and the push for sustainable development.

Environment, Sustainability

Drought, Water, Health and Life

flower-887443_640We at RainBank firmly hold true the belief that access to clean water is a basic human health necessity and a deserved right for all people.

The effects of climate change threaten our supplies of this resource that we simply cannot live without. According to the NDRC (National Resources Defense Council), nearly every U.S. region is facing some increased risk of seasonal drought.

The NDRC also reports “climate change will significantly affect the sustainability of water supplies in the coming decades. As parts of the country get drier, the amount of water available and its quality will likely decrease – impacting people’s health and food supplies.”

According to its website, the NRDC is a U.S. environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of more than 2 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of nearly 500 lawyers, scientists and other professionals.

The article Drought: Threats to Water and Food Security discusses how public health will be compromised if access to clean water isn’t always available. Many states including California, New York, Maryland, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin and Virginia have developed drought plans.

The Untapped Savings In California’s Water Supply offers suggestions on ways to conserve water through rainwater harvesting, water reuse, energy efficient appliances and drought resistant landscaping.

We can all do our part to conserve and preserve water – our lives on this planet depend on it!