Tag Archives: sustainability

Environment, Sustainability

Survive Zombie Apocalypse with Rainwater Harvesting

1 Comment

walking-deadRainwater harvesting has made it to Hollywood!

A blog post from RainSaucers, performs a case study of how rainwater harvesting has become part of the background of the show The Walking Dead. The American television drama is based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, portraying life in the weeks and months following a zombie apocalypse.

It’s interesting to read the case studies, broken down by season and episode, to see how the human survival instinct kicks in to ensure basic needs, like water for hydration, are met.

If you are affected by a zombie attack

Hopefully, your needs for rainwater harvesting aren’t brought about by a zombie apocalypse, but if it does, now you can be a little more prepared.

Read the full article here.

Commercial Rainwater Harvesting, Environment, Sustainability

Students Design Rainwater Collection System & Save Money for Business

K5116 Tyler Hammerle Engineering Senior Design Project
K5116 Tyler Hammerle Engineering Senior Design Project

Let’s hear it for the next generation! A team of students in Miami, Ohio designed and built a rainwater collection system for a local business that was looking to save money.

An article in the Miami Student details the story of how, in 2010,  an environmental commission discussion on improved stormwater management at an auto shop led to this project. Once the right student team could be assembled, the venture began in September 2014 with students from The College of Engineering and Computing

With the help of their professor, the students worked on designing a rainwater harvesting system that would reduce water usage through filtration, collection and reuse from the 4,200 square feet of roof at the business location. The collected water is used for washing cars and other cleanup functions at the shop.

K5116 Tyler Hammerle Engineering Senior Design Project
K5116 Tyler Hammerle Engineering Senior Design Project

According to the article, the system has been successful, providing the business with 2,500 gallons of water per inch of rainwater and saving close to $1,000 on water bills this year because city water no longer needs to be tapped for this function.

Congratulations to these innovative students for designing and implementing a cost saving, functional and sustainable rainwater collection design.

Photos by Scott Kissell

Environment, Sustainability

Can You Collect Rainwater in Seattle’s Tight Living Space?

Space_Needle_Mount_Ranier_Seattle_Washington_USAYou live in Seattle, where space is at a premium. You may not have a large lawn for tank placement, but you still want to live sustainably. You’ve already reduced your household and business energy usage and you recycle and reuse products to extend their life. So, how can you capture a vital resource by collecting rainwater in Seattle’s tight living space?

  • Just like rural homeowners, urban households can benefit from rainwater collection. Unlike rural homes, most city homes have less space available for storage. Slim line water tanks and underground storage options allow those who live in an urban environment to collect, store, and use rainwater for a number of purposes.
  • chartYou do not need a lot of storage capacity for supplemental use of rainwater. For every inch of rainfall, a thousand square feet of surface will yield 623 gallons of water. A 2,000 square foot roof in Seattle will yield over 44,000 gallons of water annually. Even with only 3,000 gallons of storage, winter use can be as much as 100% or can be stored for summer irrigation demands. See chart below  – an average 2,000 square foot roof yields over 44, 000 gallons with only 3,000 gallons of storage capacity based on 120 gallons of daily demand.  (click the image for larger view)
  • Rainwater is a clean source of water that needs very little treatment for irrigation, toilet flushing, or laundry facilities. Further treatment with UV disinfection allows for whole house demands including drinking water. With more demands on our water districts due to drought conditions, every drop helps. Why not benefit from this natural resource, rather than send it down the curbside drain?

It is possible to further your conviction to live a sustainable life with rainwater collection. The investment can pay off not just for you, your family, and your business, but for all of us who seek to make the best use of rainwater, a vital resource.

This article was originally published under the title How Can Urban Homes Benefit From Rainwater Collection?