NEWS
March 2013
Senators call for more rainwater harvesting - Senators call for more rainwater harvesting. The Senate yesterday passed a motion requesting that the Government consider crafting a policy mandating that future residential developments include rainwater harvesting systems. The motion, which was moved by Opposition Senator Dr Christopher Tufton, also recommended that the Government conduct a review of the nation's existing water policy. According to the motion, which was unanimously passed, the proposed measures are critical components that could help to drive the development of a drought-resilient society in Jamaica. In moving the motion, Dr Tufton noted that for several reasons, the National Water Commission has not been able to properly meet the water demand of citizens. He said this has resulted in severe hardships for families across several communities. >> more
Drought triggers Senate support for rainwater harvesting - As parts of the island continue to experience drought, the Senate says it wants the Government to review existing water policy and insert a requirement for new housing development plans to include rainwater harvesting systems. Approximately half of Jamaica is now being affected by worsening drought conditions, due to the current dry season which is approaching its halfway mark. Eight parishes have been experiencing drought conditions ranging from 'normal' to 'severe'. >> more
University of Arizona students installing new rainwater-harvesting systems - UA students are installing rainwater-harvesting systems in a class that helps the campus continue to improve its environmental sustainability. The class initially worked on the University of Arizona's oldest building, Old Main, which was sinking into the ground. Rainwater would run off the roof and puddle at the bottom of the building, but the land was too flat for the water to move, so it soaked into the ground and weakened the foundation. The students designed a system to "bring water away from the building and into little basins so that it would soak in near the vegetation," said Jim Riley, then a professor in the soil, water and environmental science department. >> more
February 2013
North Texans are turning to rainwater collection - Fulfilling the state’s water needs is a major issue in this year’s legislative session. The 50-year water plan under discussion counts on conservation for almost one-fourth of the additional water supplies needed in Texas over the next 50 years. One 55-gallon barrel is not going to hold enough to water your lawn, but it will water a lot of houseplants, says Clint Wolfe, urban water program manager for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Research Center in Richardson. Since ordinances and regulations vary, homeowners should check with their city before installing a major system. In general, municipalities prohibit tanks in a front yard, and tanks in side and backyards must be screened. The collection opening also must be topped with a screen for mosquito control. Homeowners associations, by state law, can regulate where tanks are placed but not forbid them.>> more
In Mexico City, Harvesting Water from the Sky - The Ajusco district at the southern edge of Mexico City is part of Mexico’s surging capital, but you would never know it. It is almost rural. Aside from the occasional car or motorbike on a dirt road, the only sound is a radio playing somewhere in the neighborhood. The main problem is that as the city’s population continues to surge – now beyond 21 million residents, the aquifer beneath the city is being depleted. Lomnitz is the director of Isla Urbana, a local environmental group that is pushing what it says is a simple solution to at least part of Mexico City’s water crisis — rainwater harvesting. Lomnitz says, “As the water situation gets worse and worse, our proposal gets stronger and stronger.” >> more
January 2013
Carrier Dome to start harvesting rainwater in summer 2014 - The Carrier Dome will make the most out of the Syracuse weather starting in summer 2014, when it becomes the only stadium dome in the country to partake in rainwater harvesting. Rainwater will be used to flush public toilets and urinals during games and other events, said Bruce Wanlass, principal engineer at C&S Companies, the Syracuse-based engineering consulting firm leading the project. The $1.35 million project will be made possible through a grant from the Environmental Facilities Corporation. >> more
Regional Business Coalition Forms Alliance With Rainwater Harvesting Association To Boost Region’s Water Supply - Studies by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District indicate that over the next 20 years water demand in the metro Atlanta region could exceed one billion gallons of water per day. Metro Atlanta relies primarily on surface water from reservoirs and rivers for its water supply needs, simply because ground water is very limited in the area. Conservation measures are critical to insure adequate water resources for the future growth of the metropolitan Atlanta region. Rainwater harvesting could provide a significant option to add to future resources. >> more
December 2012
New water collection system Lewis University receives money to carry out the project - Thanks to the mini funds program sponsored by Hanson Material Service, Midwest Generation and ComEd, Lewis University received a total of $65,000 to build a system to collect rainwater. The system will collect and store water in a 200,000 gallon tank, previously provided by the water system of the city of Romeoville. The project is expected to be completed by spring 2013. >> more
November 2012
Drought drives rainwater collection across Texas - With no municipal or well-water supply at his home, rainwater harvesting is more than just a way to collect extra water for Billy Kniffen. It’s a way of life. During the drought of 2011, Kniffen and his wife lived off only the rainwater they collected — just 5.5 inches for the year. State and local governments promote rainwater collection with rebates and tax breaks. Texas doesn’t collect sales tax on water collection equipment. The City of Austin offers residential rebates of 50 cents for every gallon of non-pressurized storage and $1 for every gallon of a pressurized system up to $5,000, according to their website. Pressurized systems are usually larger and use pumps.>> more
Collecting Rainwater - 43,000 gallons at a time - Can a tennis court be the answer to our water issue? The challenge of how to irrigate an established, not-so-climate-appropriate garden is being met by an icon of southern California living. Perched on a hilltop in Pacific Palisades is a residential property undergoing a transformation—but you won’t be able to see any of it. This overhaul is happening behind the scenes (and underground). The challenge was significant: how to maintain an established, fully mature garden featuring exotic tropical plants in a city that only gets an average of 14 inches of rainfall a year (and try to save water).>> more
Rainwater Harvesting System Design Basics - Water cannot be created or destroyed. The same amount of water is on Earth today as when dinosaurs walked the planet. Man and nature can only alter the physical state of water, pollute it, or clean it up. The bulk of Earth’s water is saltwater, approximately 97 percent, and unusable for human consumption without costly desalination treatment. Of the less than 3 percent remaining, two-thirds of this freshwater is locked up in ice caps and glaciers. The majority of the balance is coursing beneath the surface as groundwater, soil moisture, or in aquifers. That leaves 0.3 percent of the planet’s freshwater, or approximately 0.007 percent of all water on Earth, accessible for human needs. This water has to be shared for use in irrigation, household and municipal water use, manufacturing, and industrial applications. Obviously, water is a precious commodity that should be conserved and valued. >> more
Rainwater harvesting solution to arsenic poisoning - The geologists at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have said rainwater harvesting is the best remedy against arsenic contamination of groundwater in the city. Arsenic is highly toxic and a known carcinogenic. "People affected with arsenic contamination are advised to maintain a nutritious diet, which is often not possible because most of them are neither health conscious nor can afford the suggested line of treatment because of extreme poverty," said Prof RP Singh of the department of Geology, BHU. Rainwater harvesting involves collecting water from rooftops to cement tanks for drinking, or channeling the rain into shallow bodies or even wells dug for household use. But this will have to be combined with good sanitation practices, he said. >> more
Nanaimo regional district releases rainwater capture guidebook - Into each life, a little rain must fall, and if you live in the Nanaimo Regional District, a guidebook can help provide the ins-and-outs of harvesting one of our most important resources. "The guidebook is envisioned as a practical resource for residents in the region interested in exploring and building rainwater capture systems," said Chris Midgley, manager of Energy and Sustainability, RDN. "It's not a how-to, we're not expecting people to read the book and be able to go out and build a system, but to understand the systems better so they're not going into it blind, they'll know what to look for, what constitutes a well functioning system, and who they may need to bring on board to build those systems." >> more
October 2012
Performance of large building rainwater harvesting system - Rainwater harvesting is becoming an integral part of the toolkit for sustainable water management. This study indicates that office-scale rainwater harvesting systems offer significant water and cost savings, and emphasises the importance of monitoring data. However, despite numerous studies modelling the feasibility of utilising rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in particular contexts, there remains a significant knowledge gap in respect of detailed empirical assessments of performance. Here researchers at the University of Exeter present the results of a longitudinal empirical performance assessment of a non-domestic RWH system located in an office building in the UK. >> more
When It Rains, It Pours - The City of Los Angeles Stormwater Program partnered with S. Groner Associates (SGA) to launch a rainwater harvesting pilot program in 2010. The program’s purpose was to encourage residents in select cities to install rain barrels at their homes to harvest rainwater, which can be recycled to water gardens and landscaping. It used a combination of proven community-based social marketing practices, such as recruiting early adopters to establish the behavior as a social norm. Twelve months after it kicked off, the pilot program received a whopping 3,033 signups— more than five times the goal of 600. >> more
RAINWATER HARVESTING, HOMESTEAD FOOD FARMING, SOCIAL CHANGE AND COMMUNITIES OF INTERESTS IN THE EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA - This paper draws on a multidisciplinary 5-yr study of rainwater harvesting and conservation practices, homestead food farming and rural production practices in two Eastern Cape rural villages. The unexpected negative dynamics and changing aspects of food insecurity alongside limited and declining homestead garden food production (and rainwater harvesting) and subsequent marginalization are explained. The human capital approach is here understood as one that inevitably entails a sense of knowledge and sustainable development held elsewhere. A more engaged sense of defining and working with human capacities is needed, one which does not solely refer to formal education improvements, earnings and transfers of agricultural skills as positive. Application and development of rainwater harvesting is embedded in the complex and negative, increasingly marginal and compressed singular livelihood attributes that have come to be socially associated with food farming and rainwater harvesting. Food farming and rainwater harvesting is stigmatized as a sign of poverty, HIV/AIDS and abandonment by family, and thus is located in the differentiated and distinctively negative space in the existing webs of local community and village social and knowledge relationships. The paper concludes that this has major implications, and methods aimed at assisting vulnerable families to cope with food insecurity might actually lead to increased vulnerability. Cost $35 >> more
October 2012
Rainwater Harvesting Association warns of dangers in Government review of mandatory water tanks - All Queensland homes will pay up to $23 a month more for their water if the State Government moves ahead with plans to dismantle an existing mandate requiring new homes to include a water tank.New research has modelled the cost of the increased water supply needed to service the population growth over the next 10 years, if new homes do not include tanks. >> more
September 2012
Increase Water Supplies Through Public Financing for Rainwater Harvesting - Develop public financing, such as carbon emission or tax credits, to encourage the design, retrofit and installation of rainwater harvesting systems, green-walls and green-rooftops on buildings. Local rainwater collection infrastructure improves water quality, enhances local water supplies, reduces reliance on imported water and can move San Diego towards a more water-secure future. For all these reasons, public financing to increase local water supplies would be a wise investment. >> more
August 2012
As Santa Fe's per capita use inches up, officials work on new ways to save water, enforce rules - Santa Fe city officials like to brag about the city’s low water consumption, often calling it a water-conservation leader in the nation. However, an aggregate figure called “per capita water use” shows the city did worse by that measure in 2011 than a year earlier. Two residents on the government’s advisory Water Conservation Committee say that’s a sign that the government needs to get serious about identifying new ways to save water and enforcing rules on the books, or Santa Fe risks losing the forward momentum of the last couple decades. “We are trying to start a discussion about hard-wired water savings. There are a ton of things that we could do,” said Doug Pushard, who owns HarvestH2o in addition to serving on the volunteer committee. “It’s not like the toilet retrofit program is over and there are no other good ideas.” >> more
Harvesting system brings rainwater to the faucet - Raindrops on the roof ought to be a sweet sound for the buyer of a North Knoxville house being fitted so that all household water needs will be met by what falls out of the sky. Denis Rochat, president of Rainwater Resources, held a presentation Friday to mark the first such system his company has installed in a home in Knox County. Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and other city officials, plus architects, engineers, builders, and others gathered at 4748 Buffat Mill Road, where Rainwater Resources is installing the system in a home under construction by builder Buddy Cooper. >> more
July 2012
Rainwater harvesting can provide all water needed for a home - People have been using rain barrels for years to re-use rainwater, but now a Knoxville man has designed a rainwater harvesting system that he says will provide all the water needed for a home or business. Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero said she thinks the system will help the environment because when rainwater hits the ground and eventually runs of into the lakes and rivers it's polluted. By capturing and reusing the water before it rushes into storm water pipes, flooding will be also reduced. >> more
Run to Catch the Rain 5K Fundraiser -"Run to Catch the Rain 5K Fundraiser" is an event to raise money for rain catchment systems to provide drinking water to Point Hope Village, in West Africa. Please show your support and help our current water crisis. >> more
Harvesting rain in Colorado takes redirection - "The interesting thing is that we've always been told you can't use rainwater, but there's nothing illegal about collecting rainwater in the landscape, storing it in the soil," says Peck, a founding member of the Front Range Sustainable Coalition. "You can't put rainwater in containers, but are they really helpful? Think about how small an area can survive on rain barrels, which only hold about 30 to 50 gallons." >> more
Polypipe unveils new rainwater harvesting system - Polypipe is responding to the growing need for sustainable rainwater re-use systems with the launch of its Rainstream RXL. Rainstream RXL high volume water storage tanks are available with an optional anti-bacterial lining and have been engineered using the same technology as Polypipe’s Ridgistorm-XL large diameter pipes. The Rainstream RXL tank’s modular design allows any storage capacity to be created and features an integral pre-storage filter - eliminating the need to make connections between the chamber and the tank. >> more
Namibia: Harvesting Rain Water a Cheaper Option- Harvesting rainwater could be the sensible option for people who do not have the financial means to pay municipal water bills in urban areas, or those who simply want to conserve the finite resource. There has been a perception, albeit wrong, that people in urban areas such as Windhoek are not allowed to harvest rainwater during the rainy season. "If residents want to harvest rain water, they are free to do so at their own expense, but such water shall not be connected to any of the municipal supply systems and can only be used for private consumption," the City of Windhoek said. >> more
June 2012
Tucson Water Has New Rainwater Harvesting Rebate- Tucson Water is now offering its single family residential customers a rebate of up to $2,000 for capturing and storing rainwater for plant irrigation and other uses.The new program is called the Single Family Residential Rainwater Harvesting Incentives/Rebate Program. >> more
Rainwater collection saves water treatment costs - The first time I heard the term "rainwater harvesting," I thought, "What on earth is that?" That was in 2002, when I was a recent graduate searching for a job relevant to my bachelor's degree in resource management. Lo and behold, I got an internship with the City of Bellingham to develop and implement a rain barrel pilot project. I was enthusiastic to learn about rainwater harvesting, but still not convinced it was worth the effort. I didn't realize then what a big impact a little rain barrel can have, not only in our own community, but in other countries as well. >> more
Is Rainwater Harvesting Worth It In A Desert? - KUNM, the University of New Mexico community-powered radio station, recently had an entire call-in show on conserving our state’s water resources. One person made the comment that NM should enact laws and policies that make it easier for someone to harvest rainwater for indoor, non-drinking use, such as flushing the toilet or washing your clothes. One of the guests on the show, a well-respected university teacher and water resources expert, responded by saying, “You know it sounds like a real attractive solution, but it turns out to be very expensive.” To prove his point, he explained that he recently bought a rainwater harvesting tank for home use that cost him $500, and that “every time those tanks fill up, which is about three times last summer, I save 60 cents.” No further explanation was provided. I knew rainwater harvesting can be expensive, but I was not convinced that it was not really a feasible conservation tool. I decided to do some of my own calculations. >> more
In Mexico City, Harvesting the Rain Means Water For All - Residents of Mexico City face a resource paradox: their city receives a fair amount of rainfall each year (around 32.1 inches per year, just 5 inches less than Portland, Ore.), but its residents regularly face water shortages. Add to that the flooding the city endures on an annual basis, due to the fact that it lies in a basin that the Seattle Times characterizes as collecting rain “like a giant saucer,” and those shortages seem even more absurd.
Isla Urbana wants to change all that. As a non-profit organization that believes “a scarcity of clean water for humans is an unacceptable injustice,” the organization has a commonsense solution to both water scarcity and flooding: rainwater harvesting systems. To date, it has installed 750 residential rainwater harvesting systems, helping over 5,000 people capture 29,300,000 liters (over seven million gallons) of rainwater for household use. >> more
May 2012
Net-zero building concept makes converts in North Carolina -One of two 1.5-megawatt wind turbines on the roof of BuildSense and Studio B Architecture in Durham on Thursday, May 10, 2012. The 12,000-square-foot building utilizes a lot of green features such as a 32-kilowatt solar array, these turbines, compressed natural gas fuel pumps for company cars, and a 3,000-gallon rain cistern on the property. >> more
What's the best way to store rainwater? - With heavy rainfall drenching parts of the UK and hosepipe bans in place, what's the best way to store water to feed your garden? The concept of capturing rainwater and storing it for later use is well-documented from pre-Roman times, the UK Rainwater Harvesting Association says. It says the practice died away after mains-supplied water was introduced, but with pressure on water supplies the demand for rainwater recycling systems is rising again.>> more
Supertank Rainwater Storage Chosen for “Greening of Virginia’s Capitol”
- Water Reclamation Solutions LLC of Blacksburg, Va., has been chosen to supply the rainwater storage tank for the “Greening of Virginia’s Capitol” by the Virginia Department of General Services (DGS). The captured water will be used to supply irrigation for the Capitol Square Green Renovation project as well as supplying water for the existing Bell Tower fountain. This “SuperTank” will be an 8,000-gal subsurface cistern designed to collect water from the Capitol Square surface runoff and underdrain flow from the newly installed rain gardens. > >> more
April 2012
Flagstaff City Council OKs rainwater plan, 7-0 - The Flagstaff City Council signed off unanimously on a rainwater harvesting ordinance Tuesday night designed to reduce the amount of potable water used for landscape irrigation. The law applies only to new residential master-planned communities, multi-family housing and commercial and industrial projects. The policy essentially offers builders two choices: 1) Use native or drought-resistant plants and use passive water collection techniques, 2) Use an active rainwater harvesting system that includes some type of storage tank to capture rainfall from the roof. >> more Link to Ordinance >> more
Governor signs bill to test rain harvesting methods, hike instream flow rules - Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill into law Tuesday that authorizes large-scale rainwater harvesting pilot projects and increases requirements for instream flow water rights applications. Senate Bill 1236 authorizes the Arizona Department of Water Resources to conduct large-scale water harvesting pilot projects in Yavapai and Cochise counties, although money is not included.>> more Link to Statue>> more
Buttloads of Water Saved with Novel Rain Harvesting Product – Hall’s Rainsaver Launch New Unique Solution - A revolutionary product that has been in secret development for almost two years, the Rainsaver is now in production and available to purchase in the second quarter of 2012. The company invites no-commitment pre-ordering as initial stocks are expected to move quickly with a special launch offer at http://hallsrainsaver.com. >> more
Pool converted into a rain-storing, water-wise tropical garden - Dina and Irl Cramer were looking at the little-used pool behind their Manhattan Beach house when they realized: "It would be really nice to have a garden," Dina said. But rather than simply jackhammer out the pool or bulldoze it full of dirt, the Cramers turned the pit into a case study for how Southern Californians can capture winter rains for use watering the garden. The edges of the pool were ground down, and the rest of the concrete form was retrofitted with a rainwater >> more
City of Chattanooga launching project to repurpose rainwater - Project Rain Barrel, in which Chattanooga youth are learning to build, install and utilize rain barrels, is being launched across the city, beginning with Brainerd District 6 Saturday, April 14, at the Brainerd Farmers Market at Grace Episcopal Church on Belvoir Avenue. The goal is to expand into more schools, recreation centers and businesses as the project progresses.” >> more
Rainwater harvesting growing in popularity - A well driller wasn't among the contractors Bobby Watson hired when he built a new home overlooking Canyon Lake. Like a growing number of Texans, he opted to get water from the sky. “The wells have been bad here,” 74-year-old Watson explained. “The water comes out dirty and ruins your washer and dryer, and they go dry.” Since moving in five years ago, he and wife Martina have never wanted for water during the drought. And, she said, “It's the best-tasting water available.” >> more
Coalition wants to increase groundwater supplies with rainwater; new legislation could help - oard members on a consortium of local governments want to expand local efforts to increase groundwater supplies in the Prescott area. They could get help from two pieces of legislation, including one that Gov. Jan Brewer signed this week. The Upper Verde River Watershed Protection Coalition approved a 1.5-page "Watershed Restoration and Recharge Policy Initiative" Wednesday that has a goal of recharging an extra 20,000 acre-feet of precipitation each year into the aquifers of the Prescott Active Management Area and the Big Chino Sub-basin to the north. >> more
March 2012
Rainwater harvesting structures help improve water table - A terrace spread over 1,000 sq.ft. with rainwater harvesting (RWH) structure can help meet the water needs of two people for a year. Not only that, the structure will also offer surplus water. Assuming that a family of two uses 80 litres a day, it will require around 29,000 litres a year. Whereas, the yield from the 1,000 sq.ft. terrace in a year will be around 36,000 litres, says K. Mylswami, project coordinator, Siruthuli. This is assuming that Coimbatore's average annual rainfall is 647 mm. If the city's residents were to do so, not a drop of rainwater will go waste, he says and points out that his organisation is aiming at encouraging people to go in for RWH structures. >> more
Portable Rainwater Harvesting and Filtration Prototype Supplies Clean Drinking Water - The need for portable water in places far off the grid is a very real one - whether for disaster relief, humanitarian efforts in areas hit by drought, or even just backcountry expeditions for science or pleasure. And while quite a few solutions exist for pumping and filtering dirty groundwater, another possible way to provide clean drinking water is through harvesting and cleaning rainwater, and a prototype for a new device to do exactly that is in the works. >> more
Texas Dispatch: 'Cloud Juice' Is One Man's Solution to the Drought - Despite it's name, the city of Dripping Springs is no match for the Texas drought. But Richard Heinichen, the self-described "mayor" of Tank Town -- a company that sells and installs rainwater collection systems there -- is offering an alternative solution as residents brace for another dry season. In the rugged Central Texas region known as Hill Country, hundreds rely on rainwater as the sole source of domestic water needs, said Heinichen, who is also Tank Town's owner. The company was the first-ever licensed in the U.S. to bottle rainwater, or as Heinichen calls it, "cloud juice." >> more
In the World: How rainwater can meet clean-water needs - At a remote village called Bisate in the desperately poor nation of Rwanda, a clinic faced chronic shortages of water during the nation’s twice-yearly dry seasons. Sometimes there was simply not enough water available even for seriously dehydrated patients to drink, or for health workers to maintain basic standards of sanitation. Collecting rainwater during the rainy periods was the obvious answer, but figuring out how to do so safely and economically was not a trivial problem: How big should the collection tanks be? And how much water should be diverted at the beginning of each rainfall to avoid contaminating the supply with the dirt, dust and animal droppings that accumulate on a roof during a dry spell?>> more
How to use less water at home - Charles and Judy Ainger wash their clothes in rainwater. Living in the dry central belt of England, just to the west of London in Chalfont Saint Giles, they have being trying to save water for years, collecting rain in butts for garden use and showering instead of bathing. Recently, however, they decided to go further, and now have a rainwater harvesting system which feeds one of their loos and the washing machine. >> more
Rainwater: Filling local needs - Some call water “the next oil.” We have limited clean water resources, both in the Southwest and globally, and everybody needs water. Privatization in places like Bolivia showed the world the dangers of putting a price on it, but free marketers believe only price will dampen — excuse the pun — our thirst. Rainwater harvesting is a superb way to protect your homestead from drought, while preventing over-pumping of our aquifers. Rainwater is better for plant life than groundwater, with a few exceptions (near coal power plants). >> more
February 2012
Hearing examiner nixes rainwater harvesting request - Whatcom County hearing examiner Michael Bobbink has denied an appeal by local property owners hoping to use rainwater as the only water supply for their vacation home. Bobbink wrote that unless the water district was “willing to sign a denial of service form or its equivalent,” the county was right in denying their application for a building permit with a rainwater catchment system as their source of potable water. While the proposed catchment system was feasible and met the technical requirements for a potable water system, Bobbink said, Whatcom County Code was clear that if a property is within the boundaries of a public water system it must connect with that system. If the water district is able and willing to serve the property, “hooking up to the public system is mandatory” and a private water system cannot be approved. >> more
Rainwater Harvesting, BMP Fact Sheet #6 - Rainwater harvesting (RWH), also known as rainwater harvesting systems or cisterns, are devices that intercept, divert, store, and release collected roof runoff from rainfall for later use as an alternative water supply. RWH can also be designed to provide runoff reduction benefits. Therefore, it is classified as a best management practice (BMP) for treatment of urban stormwater. Because ogf its dual purpose and benefit, RWH is often classified as a sustainable urban BMP.>> more
How Cities can benefit from Rainwater Harvesting - As America’s expanding urban areas struggle with major water supply shortages and runoff pollution problems, capturing rainwater from rooftops provides a tremendous untapped opportunity to increase water supply and improve water quality, according to a recent analysis on “Capturing Rainwater from Rooftops” by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).s issued by the corporation. The report comes as the Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of updating its national standards for controlling runoff pollution from new development and existing paved areas. NRDC encourages the agency to adopt national standards for on-site stormwater retention that will increase green infrastructure approaches such as rainwater harvesting. As a result, communities can effectively transform polluted runoff flowing to our waterways into captured rooftop rainwater used as an on-site water supply resource. >> more
Bangalore Bill for Mandatory Rainwater Harvesting Introduced in Assembly - A legislation making it mandatory to build rainwater harvesting structure by households subject to certain conditions in all the municipal corporation areas in Karnataka was introduced by Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday. The Bill said every owner or occupier of a building having not less than 2400 sqft of area or owner who propose to construct a building on not less than 1200 sqft should provide rainwater harvesting structure for a storage for reuse or for groundwater recharge within such date as may be notified by the Government and rules issued by the corporation.>> more
January 2012
Rainwater harvesting 101 - From a global perspective, fresh water is becoming an increasingly precious resource. By some estimates, as many as 3.4 billion people around the world will lack adequate and safe fresh water.
It is still easy to take water’s availability for granted here in the United States. However, increasing population, corruption of water by industrial and agricultural activity, steadily receding sources and climate changes conspire to reduce water availability and increase water cost. As a result, “water politics” have come closer to the forefront of public consciousness as people see their water bills rise to a significant household expense, while cities and towns manage aging distribution piping, and utilities seek out water supplies that are increasingly harder to reach. >> more
Jamaica's RWSL Upgrading Rural Water Supplies - Work is also being carried out at the Maldon and Chatsworth primary schools in Maroon Town, St. James, involving a Rain Water Harvesting System, as well as an Ultra Violet (UV) disinfectant which a substitute for chlorine. The rain water harvesting projects, at both schools, are initiatives of the Ministry, in keeping with its goal to ensure that all schools have access to potable water. Rain water harvesting systems are already in place at the schools, but they need upgrading. These projects have been progressing steadily, and should be completed by March 2012. The scope of work includes installing 2000-gallon PVC tanks, constructing concrete tanks and upgrading bathroom facilities.>> more
December 2011
House bill pushes rainwater harvest - MANILA, Philippines — A bill that would require all government buildings to have rain-harvesting facilities has been filed in the House of Representatives. Agham Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones filed House Bill No. 5494 that mandates all state-owned buildings to incorporate rainwater-storing facilities in their designs. If enacted into law, “Rain Harvesting Facility of Government Buildings Act of 2011” requires the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to reject designs of public buildings that do not have rain-harvesting and storage facilities. >> more
Rainwater Warehouse Launches Rainwater Harvesting e-Commernce Website - Rainwater Warehouse has launched a new website offering a complete range of rainwater harvesting systems and products. According to Principal, Jack Burden, Rainwater Warehouse provides a complete range of residential & commercial rainwater harvesting products. The company offers packaged solutions directly to green build developers, builders and homeowners. They also provide commercial grade rainwater harvesting components to builders & owners of commercial properties. >> more
Harvesting winter’s rain to keep summer’s soil moist - In the heat of mid-July, Brian Ladwig-Cooper of Gaia Creations Ecological Landscaping scooped away some packed-down mulch that filled an earth basin that he had dug in his yard. He then stuck his hand into the ground. “It was still moist, and the water hadn’t been on at all,” Ladwig-Cooper recalled. The basin—a large hole dug out of the ground and stuffed tightly with twigs, sticks and leaves—was the dead end of a trench (also stuffed with mulch) that connected the basin to the downspout of the house’s gutters. Fruit trees, five feet away from the basin and more than 50 feet away from the house, received enough gutter water from the winter rains to stay irrigated into the middle of summer. >> more
November 2011
Venice Paves the Way For Rainwater Harvesting in California - Venice was already on the cutting edge of water conservation with the implementation of Proposition O at the Penmar Park back in April, and once again Penmar Park was the site of innovative water conservation on Tuesday when the L.A. County Department of Public Safety released their rainwater harvesting guidelines. These guidelines are the first ever created in California and seek to outline the process for effectively storing and treating rainwater for future use. The guidelines were created over a two year testing period with the help of local non-profits Heal the Bay and Treepeople. >> more
October 2011
Experts recommend the inclusion of rainwater-collection systems in cities- Plain, sloping roofs can collect up to 50% more rainwater than flat roofs with gravel. This water is also of higher quality. These are the conclusions of a study conducted by researchers from Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB, Spain) which suggests the incorporation of systems to collect rainwater in urban planning. The water collected can be used to water streets and gardens, wash floors or vehicles and fill cisterns. rainwater tank on the roof. The conclusions, published in the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, also recommend including these rainwater devices in urban planning, but adapting the design to the purpose intended for the water. This would prevent subsequent impacts in building renovation.>> more
Not a drop to waste... - The advantages of harvesting rainwater are obvious — these systems are easy to install, don’t cost a lot and require minimum scientific expertise. Neither do they demand much maintenance after installation. According to him, there are no disadvantages whatsoever to the system. “It does have some initial cost, but this is barely anything compared to the benefits. Moreover, it isn’t tough to maintain. In fact, we’re considering setting up another tank,” he says. >> more
Making Peace With Florida Storms and Rain - Taming the rain with a rainwater harvesting system was the right approach, especically given the amount of rain we get in Florida, rainwater harvesting became a major consideration early in the process. During the summer months we get afternoon “gully washers” and In Jacksonville the average rainfall for those four months averages 26.11 inches! Sadly, massive rainfalls do not necessarily equate to surplus fresh water. Acutely aware of the shrinking drinking water supply, we didn’t want to waste potable water to water our newly planted 1,000+ native plants or our 300 sq. ft. organic garden which gives us delicious vegetables year round. Nor did we want to use storm water run-off for irrigation. So we decided to investigate rainwater collection systems. >> more
Tucson searches for ways to increase water harvesting - Tucson is trying some new incentives to get people to save water by using some of what falls to the ground. Now it's in the hands of some of the Citizen's Water Advisory Committee to see how to use $100,000 from Tucson Water's conservation fund to encourage more people. Because while it saves water for the future, it can be costly right now. >> more
Pakistan tackles water crisis with rainwater harvesting - Increasing temperatures and lower rainfalls, believed to be associated with climate change, are creating intense water shortages in much of Pakistan, a situation which is likely to worsen if the country’s 170 million population doubles as projected in the next 25 years.
In response, non-governmental organizations are trying to improve water harvesting in rural areas. A pilot project in Morry-je-Wandh has seen the construction of a large covered pond with the capacity to supply the domestic and drinking water needs of 20 families (135 villagers) for more than eight months. >> more
Water Rates
September 2011
Droughtbusters - Record droughts have parched the earth's crust from Somalia to Texas this year. The effects on the world's drinking-water supply have been enormous. The level of China's Yangtze River, the third largest in the world, sank so low this spring that about 400,000 people along its shores were stuck without a local drinking-water source until the government opened the gates of its massive Three Gorges dam to help counteract the crisis. In East Africa, some 10 million people have been punished by the region's worst drought in 60 years. And in Texas, where wildfires scorched 4 million acres. One of the solutions mentioned is Rainwater Harvesting. >> more
Potable Rainwater Legislation Passed in Atlanta - Atlanta approved a landmark ordinance that would allow potable rainwater systems in single-family homes. After a public hearing of the City Council’s Utilities Committee, both members present said they were strongly in favor of the legislation, which would give homeowners a way to get permits for systems that catch rainwater, store it and treat it for drinking, bathing and dishwashing. >> more >> Copy of Ordinance
National rainwater catchment practitioners converge in Clackamas -Corbett blueberry farmer Clair Klock will serve as chairman of the upcoming American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association conference, a trade show and educational program focused on rainwater harvesting. The conference will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 27-29, at the Monarch Hotel & Conference Center in Clackamas. The conference includes a rainwater system trade show from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, which is open to the public and features vendors from across the country. A series of educational workshops are planned before and after the conference and are also open to the public, although there is a cost to attend. >> more
Consider rainwater as source - A recent Our View addressed concerns about the region's water supply and the technology associated with a problematic solution -- desalinization -- along with its great costs, energy needs and environmental impact. A simpler, cleaner and cheaper alternative would be harvesting rainwater from home rooftops and using it to flush our toilets. >> more
Successful Rainwater Harvesting Systems Should Combine New Technology With Old Social Habits - As a crippling drought grips much of the Southern and Southwestern United States, the population continues to grow and water resources become scarcer. One way to address the water problem is by a combination of modern engineering and ancient social principles, outlined in a new paper on rainwater harvesting that will be presented at the 2011 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. >> more
Water warrior Cate Blanchett unveils cutting-edge rainwater harvesting system - Actor Cate Blanchett has unveiled her latest environmental project, a rainwater harvesting system installed in the Walsh Bay arts precinct in Sydney equivalent to half the playing field of the Sydney Football Stadium.The harvesting, storage and reticulation system will capture rain from the expansive roof of The Wharf in Walsh Bay, which houses the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) and other arts organisations. It will then be stored in a huge pipe that runs 500 metres under the pier, providing 100 per cent of non-potable water for all resident organisations. >> more
Water Rates
August 2011
AESC ice to be made from rainwater - Members of the Abbotsford Heat hockey squad will be playing on rainwater next season. A rain harvesting system is being built for the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre (AESC) and will be used to make the ice in the facility. It will be the first professional grade indoor ice arena to use rainwater. The project is expected to save approximately 830,000 litres of water each season. >> more
Green is the word for local schools - In tight financial times, saving money by investing in more efficient school buildings is commonplace for local school districts. water tank at Champion High School in Boerne can hold 224,250 gallons of rainwater. The school’s water-collection system sustains 87 percent of the campus’ irrigation needs. “We are role models in the education business,” said San Miguel, who added that schools need to instill in their students a core set of beliefs, “and one of those is to have our students be environmentally conscious.” >> more
Older Water News >>
TOP
HOME
|
