News — Rain Water Harvesting

San Marcos, TX Case Study Overview Download PDF The City of San Marcos recognizes that economy, society, and the environment are closely interconnected. The City is committed to clean air and water and environmentally sustainable economic development. Staff developed the Go Green Initiative to educate citizens about sustainable living and to inspire them to take action. The City first partnered with Rain Water Solutions to offer free rain barrels during a native plant sale in April 2013. The interest was so great that the City sponsored a distribution program in June 2013, and another in October. San Marcos utility customers...

The floods of 2008 continue to be one of the worst natural disasters in the past 30 years of American history. Floodwaters covered 14% of the city and displaced 10,000 residents. Although the city has made significant progress in rebuilding, a complete recovery is not expected for another decade. Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and one of few cities in the world with governmental offices on a municipal island. 

Oakland's watershed is comprised of 15 main creeks, 30 tributaries, Lake Merritt and the Bay estuary. In 2009 Lake Merritt was listed as an impaired water body due to organic enrichment/low dissolved oxygen and high levels of trash. The trash primarily enters the lake through urban runoff and storm sewers. Once the water body or segment is listed as impaired, the state is required by the Clean Water Act to establish Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the pollutant causing the conditions of impairment. 

NC steps to the plate to make sure cities, towns and counties cannot limit rain barrels and cisterns. We are fortunate in NC to get a consistent amount of rain each month throughout the year. Here in Raleigh we average 42" a year. If one is able to harvest even a percentage of that then they are able to start to offset their potable water use. This is a step in the right direction.