Roofwater Harvesting Resources

The following is a list of websites, tax incentives, reports and publications for rainwater catchment systems legislation, policy guidelines, design and installation. The resources are listed alphabetically by country, then state, then city or publication title. It is our hope that citizens and policy makers will use this information to create policy language, pass initiatives and install rainwater catchment systems in their own cities, states and countries. Click here to download a PDF of this resource list.

RAINWATER CATCHMENT POLICY

AUSTRALIA

• Gold Coast City Council – www.goldcoastwater.com.au/rainwatertanks
This city council has created a Waterfuture Strategy to meet the water savings targets established by the Queensland State government in Dec. 2006 (see below). The Council mandates the installation of rainwater tanks for non-potable uses such as washing machines, toilets and outdoor uses on all new residential and commercial construction. This site has policy language and guidelines for homeowners, builders and planners.

• State of Queensland – www.dip.qld.gov.au/sustainable-living/index.php
This is the main page for Queensland’s Sustainable Living and the recent changes to the Queensland Code. To view the code, go to www.dip.qld.gov.au/building/current-and-draft-parts.html and refer to the following:

o MP 4.1 Sustainable Buildings which sets the mandatory water and energy efficiency measures required for new Class 1 buildings (houses, townhouses, terrace houses) and Class 2 sole occupancy units (units).

o MP 4.2 Water savings targets, which requires that new class 1 buildings meet prescribed water savings. This can be achieved through the installation of a rainwater tank, communal rainwater tank, dual reticulation, stormwater reuse, or a greywater treatment plant.

o MP 4.3 Alternative water sources commercial buildings, which sets the mandatory requirements for all new commercial and industrial buildings to have an alternative water source. This can be achieved through the installation of a rainwater tank, water storage tank or a greywater treatment plant.

o To see all the guidelines and factsheets developed for these parts of the code go to: www.dip.qld.gov.au/guidelines/queensland-development-code.html

o To learn more about their rebate schemes for tanks go to www.nrw.qld.gov.au/water/saverscheme/rebate_schemes

USA

• Federal Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credits - www.natresnet.org/taxcredits/default.htm - This tax credit was renewed for 2008 and applies to metal roofing.

• Low-Impact Development Hydrologic Analysis – www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/lid_hydr.pdf
Prince George’s County Department of Environmental Resources (1999).

• Albuquerque and Bernalillo Counties - www.uswaternews.com/archives/arcconserv/8waterule2.html
These counties have mandated rainwater tank and water harvesting earthwork installation on new residential and commercial construction.

• County of Santa Fe – www.santafecounty.org/about_us/documents/development_guidelines.pdf
This county has passed water saving rules that mandate rainwater harvesting into tank and water harvesting earthwork installations on new residential and commercial construction.

•Texas Water Development Board Roofwater Harvesting System Sizing Estimate Tool - Use this to determine the roofwater capacity of your structure.

BOOKS/PERIODICALS

Design For Water: Rainwater Harvesting, Stormwater Catchment and Alternate Water Reuse
By Heather Kinkade-Levario. New Society Publishers, ISBN: 9780865715806 (2oo7).
www.newsociety.com/bookid/3954

Guideline on Rainwater Catchment Systems for Hawaii
by Patricia S. H. Macomber. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Publication no. RM-12. ISBN: 1929325118. (2001) www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ctahr2001/PIO/FreePubs/FreePubs09.asp#Water .

On Tap Magazine – www.nesc.wvu.edu/ontap.cfm - Controlling Cross Connections, Fall ’07 issue

Rainwater Catchment Systems for Domestic Supply: Design, construction and implementation
by John Gould & Erik Nissen-Petersen. Publisher: ITDG Publishing. ISBN:1853394564 (1999)

Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged
by Suzy Banks with Richard Heinichen Publisher: Tank Town Publishing. ISBN: 0966417003 (1997) www.rainwatercollection.com/rainwater_collection_how.html

Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands, Volume 1: Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain Into Your Life and Landscape
by Brad Lancaster
Publisher: Rainsource Press ISBN: 097724640X (2006)
www.Harvestingrainwater.com

Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands, Volume 2: Water Harvesting Earthworks
by Brad Lancaster
Publisher: Rainsource Press ISBN: 0977246420 (2008)
www.Harvestingrainwater.com

Rainwater Harvesting Potential and Guidelines for Texas
by the Texas Water Development Board (2006)
www.twdb.state.tx.us/iwt/rainwater/docs/RainwaterCommitteeFinalReport.pdf

Storm Water as a Resource: How to Harvest and Protect a Dryland Treasure
City of Santa Fe, New Mexico (2002)
www.santafenm.gov/DocumentView.asp?DID=532

Texas Manual On Rainwater Harvesting 3rd Edition
by the Texas Water Development Board (2005) www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RainwaterHarvestingManual_3rdedition.pdf

City of Tucson Water Harvesting Guidance Manual
www.ci.tucson.az.us/water/harvesting.htm

Water From The Sky
by Michael Reynolds
www.earthship.com

Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers and Ponds
by Art Ludwig. Publisher: Oasis Design. ISBN: 0964343363 (2005)
www.oasisdesign.net/water/storage

WEBSITES

American Rainwater Catchment Systems Assn.
www.arcsa.org

Holy H2O
www.holyh2o.org

International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
www.eng.warwick.ac.uk/ircsa

Oasis Design - Rainwater Harvesting/Coliform Concerns www.rainwaterharvesting.net
www.oasisdesign.net/water/quality/coliform.htm

Permacultura America Latina
www.permacultura.org

Penn State School of Forest Resources – Water Facts #13 – Coliform Bacteria
www.pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/XH0019.pdf

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission – Rainwater Harvesting
www.sfwater.org/mto_main.cfm/MC_ID/14/MSC_ID/361/MTO_ID/559

The Rainwater Calculator
www.rain-barrel.net/rainwater-calculator.html

The Centre for Science and Environment -Rainwater Harvesting Technology and Systems www.rainwaterharvesting.org

CONTRACTORS / DESIGN CONSULTANTS

AP Rainwater Harvesting & Graywater Gardens - David Ortiz
(707) 874-9460 in Sebastopol, CA
www.aprainwaterharvesting.com

Artisans Ecological Landscapes and Farms - Erik Ohlsen
(707) 332-8100 in Sebastopol, CA
www.permacultureartisans.com

Bill Wilson Environmental Planning
(310) 441-3861 in Mill Valley, CA 

Design Ecology - Josiah Raison Cain
(415) 888-8515 in Petaluma, CA
www.designecology.com 

Earth Craft Design - Bobby Markowitz
(831) 475-9355 in Soquel, CA
www.earthcraftdesign.com

Prunuske Chatham, Inc. – Mike Jensen
(707) 824-4601 ext. 107 in Sebastopol, CA,
www.pcz.com

WaterSprout – John Russell
(510) 541-7278 in Oakland, CA
www.watersprout.org

Wonderwater - Dylan Coleman
(530) 926-5050 in Mt. Shasta, CA
www.wonderwater.net

SONOMA COUNTY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS

American Tank Co. Inc.
Windsor, CA (877) 655-1100
www.watertanks.com

Harmony Farm Supply
Graton, CA (707) 823-9125
www.harmonyfarm.com 

Horizon Turf and Irrigation
Santa Rosa, CA (707) 584-7272
www.horizononline.com

John Deere Green Tech - Tony Yarish (Sales Manager)
Santa Rosa, CA (888) 438-7435
ayarish@johndeergreentech.com

National Storage Tank - Aaron Avila
Santa Rosa, CA (707) 537-7433

Pioneer Tanks
Sonoma County distributor:
Frank (707) 965-3600
www.pwtusa.com

Renegade Juggling - stage balls for pre-filters
www.renegadejuggling.com

Superior Tank Company
Bakersfield and Rancho Cucamonga, CA (800) 221-TANK
www.superiortank.com