Value of Rainwater Catchment Systems
Chemical Spill in West Virginia shows the vulnerability of our water
supplies.
January 21, 2014
RAINWATER HARVESTING CAN CREATE SAFE, DECENTRALIZED WATER SUPPLIES
The disastrous chemical spill that contaminated West Virginia's water
supply reinforced the value of harvesting rainwater to provide
distributed sources of safe water. The mission of the 501(c)3 nonprofit
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA.org) is to
promote sustainable rainwater harvesting practices to help solve
potable, non-potable, stormwater and energy challenges throughout the
world.
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. Given an average 45 inches
of annual West Virginia precipitation, a 1,500-square-foot residential
roof could collect over 40,000 gallons annually, delivering more than
100 gallons per day of high-quality water for potable and/or non-potable
uses. Attesting to the quality, ARCSA board member Jack Holmgreen won a
Gold Medal for his rainwater entry in the 2011 Berkeley Springs (West
Virginia) International Water Tasting competition.
The chemical in the West Virginia water spill-4-methylcyclohexane
methanol (MCHM)-is among a long list of chemicals that include
perchlorate (rocket fuel), MTBE (an automobile fuel additive), ethylene
glycol (anti-freeze), MEK (solvent) and formaldehyde, for which there
are no EPA drinking-water limits. That's right, as unbelievable as it
sounds, any amount can be in your drinking water without exceeding the
EPA Drinking Water standards.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG.org) has identified over 200
contaminants in the nation's drinking water for which there are no
limits, which is one reason the ancient practice of collecting, treating
and using rainwater is being revived with modern techniques and
materials.
ARCSA is gathering funds, experts and technical writers to create a
national rainwater harvesting manual and is soliciting tax-deductible
donations. For more information, please contact Heather Kinkade,
Executive Director ARCSA, at 512-617-6528 or info@arcsa.org.
ARCSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded to promote
rainwater catchment systems in the United States. Its membership
consists of professionals working in city, state, and federal
governments, academia, manufacturers and suppliers of rainwater
harvesting equipment, consultants, and other interested individuals. For
more information, visit
ARCSA.org.
American Rainwater Catchment
Systems Association
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association | 7650 S. McClintock
Drive Ste 103 #134 | Tempe | AZ | 85284-1673
|