Tag Archives: sustainability

Rainwater Catchment

Why Harvest Rain During a Drought?

water-102952_640With little rain falling from the sky, the drought in Washington and California has forced the issue of mandates for businesses and individuals to cut water use.

Why waste precious drops when they can be harvested from the roof?

In a recent story about harvesting rainwater during the drought, designer Mike Brioli of Living Systems Designs is interviewed about his own rainwater collection system, which funnels water from his roof through a filter to a 1,500-gallon tank hidden above ground behind greenery. Then, underground pipes lead the rainwater to a pumping system. The collected rainwater is used for toilet flushing and laundry.

Brioli receives a couple of calls per day from folks interested in their own system, inquiring about cost, space needed and steps that need to be taken to design and install a rain harvesting system.

Systems can range from simple rain barrels for garden irrigation, to more elaborate and expensive systems, where water is collected, filtered and treated and used for drinking.

While a potable system may require a larger investment, the long-term savings are measurable. Plus, aging infrastructure is a concern in some areas. Having a rainwater collection system designed and installed is a way for residential and business customers to supplement city or well water in the event of a shortage or even worse, fear of health risk, such as was caused by the hazardous spill into the Animas River in Colorado, which spread to New Mexico and Utah.

Rainwater Catchment

Animas River Toxic Spill Poses Serious Health Risks

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animas-river-pollutionThe August 5th Animas River spill is now delivering serious health risks to three states – Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Our recent blog post details how the orange colored, contaminated water could be seen working its way toward New Mexico and now, today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that “surface-water testing revealed very high levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium and other heavy metals as a sickly-yellow plume of mine waste flowed through Colorado.”

The AP story further reports, “Over the long term, these metals can seep into the surrounding water table, potentially polluting drinking wells. The EPA has offered free water testing for homeowners with wells close to the river, but it’s unclear how long that offer stands.”

CBS News reports “Toxicologists say those people who live along the Animas River could be ingesting the contaminated water in any number of ways, such as drinking it or showering in it.”

As we talk about heavy metals being released into our waterways, the keyword here is HEAVY. While some will flow and be naturally flushed away, a great risk is that toxins will sink to the bottom and remain in the water, continuing to contaminate even after the yellow color dissipates and the water begins to appear to be normal.

In its article Rainwater Harvesting Can Create Safe, Decentralized Water Supplies, The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) reports, “A well-designed, installed and maintained rainwater harvesting system can provide significant amounts of high-quality water for potable and non-potable, residential and commercial use. Even in the arid Four Corners area of this spill, ample water can be harvested.”

It’s time for all states to begin allowing rainwater collection for potable and non-potable use, so individuals and businesses can harvest water for their own health and well being.

Animas River Pollution Photo courtesy of Snopes

Sustainability

How To Reduce Stormwater Pollutants

LawnCareWhat can we do as families to help reduce pollutants entering our bodies of water?

We all know by now that stormwater runoff is the leading cause of pollution of our surrounding bodies of water. Stormwater is being addressed at local, state, and federal levels, with reduction of pollutants entering our lakes, rivers, and coastal regions by mandates of infiltration, separation of stormwater and sewer and other measures.

But what can the average household do to help?

You and your family can adopt simple changes, which will have positive results. You are probably doing some already!  A healthy environment is what we can pass along to the next generation. As population increases, the need for protection rises. Here is a link from the EPA than can help guide you to a more proactive response to urban water pollution.

http://www2.epa.gov/urbanwaters/how-you-can-help

StormwaterYouCanDoYourPartEvery little bit helps to protect our water and natural resources.