Rainwater Harvesting/Collection for Potable use in Western Washington? (legal, moving)

[Ravialdo]

Was wondering if there are any forum members who have personal experience with a rainwater system for POTABLE water usage in a residential setting? And as a primary system, not as a back up to a well? If so, I'd love to speak with you and get your take and overall impression with these systems. In the past, they had a reputation as being very granola, hippie-dippie kind of thing. I think some of the new designs are quite sanitary from my understanding but wanted some 1st hand experience.

This Hirst decision is making a big mess; I want to do my due dilegence as there is some land available that I have my eye on.

Thanks

[StealthRabbit]

Don't count on Rainwater meeting the requirements of FT water service (tho can be used fine, just that WA counties are not gonna approve it as a primary source.)

My WA Counties require a Water Service provision notice from county Water Purveyor B4 the county will even discuss residential use. (Same with septic) it is a 'pre-step', so you will not get started in the permit process until these boxes are checked. (By the building Dept)...


legally, WA has very lax / beneficial use of Rainwater Collection and reuse. (many people do not know that rainwater from their property is NOT legally their available water)

Not clear that WA ECY will allow primary / potable (Unlikely, tho possible) I have been investigating adding 20,000 underground tanks to a couple properties in WA. (and in TX)
Rainwater Collection in Washington State | Water Resources Program | Washington State Department of Ecology
Rainwater Collection to Augment Water Supply | Water Resources Program | Washington State Department of Ecology

[Ravialdo]

Looks like that link is out of date though:

Exempt Well/Water Information | Whatcom County, WA - Official Website

A. Prior to issuance of a building permit or other project permits, the applicant must provide Whatcom County planning and development services evidence of adequate water supply as documented by a water availability notification signed by the director, except as described in subsection B. The water availability notification shall document a supply of potable water adequate to serve a land use associated with a project permit in terms of quality, quantity, and legal availability. The applicant must provide evidence of legal availability in the form of:


1. A water right permit from the Department of Ecology, or
2. A letter from an approved public water purveyor with sufficient water rights, stating the ability to provide water, or
3. Documentation that water can be supplied by a rainwater catchment system approved by the Whatcom County Health Department, per Department of Ecology Policy 1017.

It seems to me that Whatcom county is allowing the use of rainwater harvesting according to the county, assuming it meets the County Health Department.

Anecdotally, I've heard that the number of permits the county is issuing for primary rainwater collection is increasing. Through the grapevine, they got 12 applications last month. Someones putting these in.

[Angry-Koala]

Here's a link to a video by a YouTuber couple that put in a rainwater harvesting system in Arizona:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETWQbtwO8eE. They've got multiple other videos on the same subject and links to other YouTubers doing the same thing, plus many other related videos.

Looks like the Hirst decision may be responsible for getting rainwater harvesting moving along.

[StealthRabbit]

Whatcom County is only one of 39 WA jurisdictions. I would expect them to be one of the most lenient. but. They may not go for it, but a properly designed and maintained system will certainly work. I'm glad I have my own dozer and excavator. For digging a 20,000 gal hole.