Capturing Our Precious Rain
To achieve urban water security, a variety of alternative water supply sources can be encouraged including rainwater harvesting systems.
Rainwater harvesting systems are promoted in many cities around the world to enhance resilience to climatic extremes. They can be incorporated into large-scale landscapes such as parks, schools, commercial sites, parking lots, and apartment complexes as well as small-scale residential landscapes.
Rainwater harvesting systems usually consist of a:
- Catchment: An area from which water can be collected, including roofs, paved areas, and the soil surface
- Distribution system: These systems connect catchments to the landscape holding areas and can be simple or sophisticated, such as downspouts, hillsides, channels or perforated pipes
- Landscape holding area: These areas store water in the soil for direct use as well as increase water penetration in the soil and reduce flooding and erosion
Multiple benefits
Rainwater harvesting systems provide a wide range of benefits including:
- Increased available water supply: Rainwater used for irrigation purposes can significantly reduce demand for potable water
- Reduced stormwater runoff: Rainwater harvesting systems capture rainfall where it lands, enabling reuse on-site
- Increased groundwater recharge: Reusing rainwater for irrigation purposes helps increase groundwater recharge
- Reduced energy use: Rainwater harvesting reduces the amount of energy required to pump, treat, and transport potable water
- Improved air quality: Rainwater harvesting systems reduce emissions from water treatment and wastewater treatment plants
- Reduced atmospheric carbon emissions: Rainwater harvesting systems reduce the amount of water treatment required, which in turn reduces emissions from power plants
- Enhanced public education: Rainwater harvesting systems educate local communities on green infrastructure and sustainable water resources management
City of Tucson’s Rainwater Harvesting Rebate
To encourage the capture, diversion, and storage of rainwater for plant irrigation, Tucson Water in Arizona is providing rebates for qualifying rainwater harvesting systems up to $2,000 per property.
To qualify, applicants must be Tucson Water customers and attend an approved Rainwater Harvesting Incentives Program Workshop that covers topics including what rainwater harvesting is, best methods to conserve potable water by utilizing rainwater harvesting systems, and how to develop a rainwater harvesting project plan.
There are two incentives available with applicants able to apply for both, provided the total does not exceed $2,000 for the combination per property. The first incentive is for simple/passive rain gardens, with applicants able to receive 50% off the costs of eligible materials and labor up to $500. Passive earthworks include directing and retaining water in landscapes, using site-appropriate practices including basins, berms, terraces, swales, infiltration trenches, and curb cuts. The second incentive is for complex/active rain tanks with rebates covering the cost of the system based on the gallon per capacity of the tank up to $2,000.
The take-out
Rainwater harvesting systems reduce pressure on potable water supplies, reduce energy usage, and lower carbon emissions.
Join the New LinkedIn Groups:
Blue-Green Infrastructure https://www.linkedin.com/groups/10412555/
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