Permits & Regulations (Rainwater Harvesting)

A common question that is always asked by builders and rainwater system owners alike is "do you have to have any type of specialty permiting for installation?" 

 

The answer I'm afraid, is not a simple one, it varies with each municipality, whether you are within county limits or in city limits. Another barrier to entry is that rainwater collection and the technology used in harvesting it is very "fresh", and governing bodies are unfamiliar with the renewable energy industry as whole. Granted, geo-thermal & solar resources have been around for the better part of 2 decades however, regulations & permitting for these energy sources change on a yearly basis on both the federal & state levels. Rainwater collection is new to almost all areas of our country within the past 8 years. Two states that have really championed the regulations & guidelines for the installation of these systems, is Arizona and California. In fact, many of the recently adopted codes in North Carolina and surrounding states have been benchmarked off of these code setters within these states. 

 

Buncombe County & Haywood County have recently made some substantial head way in regards to promoting such a powerful renewable energy source such as rainwater. With each system that our company installs whether it be above ground or below ground, we obtain the proper plumbing permit's and follow each municipalities guidelines for rainwater system installation. It is part of our company’s policy to inform and educate the public & private sectors on all of the benefits that not only the owner will receive but also the governing body. Each system must have a first flush diverter, non-potable piping must be labeled, signage attached, and there must be an overflow for each cistern. Within the international plumbing code, there have been some appendices added for rainwater recycling, for the most part many of these codes fall in line with a greywater water recycle system.

 

If you have any questions or have some concerns in regards to a greywater or rainwater system, please feel free to contact me!

 

GreenWerksllc

How expensive are rainwater harvesting systems?

One of the most common questions that is asked in our business today is, "how expensive is a rainwater harvesting system?". I always give them some ball park figures to assist them in pricing and an overall cost view. The truth is there are so many variables that come into play when installing one of these systems. 

What I can tell you is that we size systems based off of roof square footage and demand within the structure in which we are installing a system. Intensive excavation labor in combination with the increased cost of ridged or load bearing material used in the production of cisterns, underground systems in general, run anywhere from 15 to 20% more in installation. We harvest the rainwater, run it through a first flush filtration device, smooth the water as it enters the tank, store it and use it for potable or non-potable uses. Rainwater harvesting systems can be used for any purpose you currently use your municipal or well water source for. 

 Depending on what you would like to use the rainwater for, can determine a fluctuation in price. We can design an above ground pressurized 550 gallon system for as little as $1,500. The majority of our clients are seeking alternatives for the two largest water uses in the home; laundry machine & toilets. Our potable (drinking) rainwater systems are substantially more in cost as a direct result of the 3-step filtration process and cost for supplying engineering schematics to the local municipality. Rainwater harvesting is a very new technology and we have come a long way since the rain barrel! 

 In short, if you are searching for a rainwater system and would like to know more about overall costs involved, you are more than welcome to contact us and we can point you in the right direction! 

Green Werks Rainwater Harvesting

Welcome to the Green Werks blog! This is the first post I have done, and I am really excited about the social networking opportunities ahead of this company. 

Green Werks, is a rainwater harvesting compant that operates here in the Asheville, NC territory and serves a variety of different customers and client bases. Our services include the consultation, installation, design, and maintenance of above & belowground systems.

It is a really neat story how my partner (Ted Warner) and I (Jared Breneman) recieved the opportunity to start a company in one of the fastest growing industries in the US today. For those of you who have not been to our web-site we are an installer/designer of rainwater harvesting systems for a company called Rainwater Management Solutions (RMS). They are based out of Salem, VA and are the largest distributor/designer of these systems in the country. They are the only company in this industry and in the US that carry a German product line called "Wisy". Now the Europeans have been harvesting and perfecting their products for around 25 years+. 

We are fortunate enough to carry this product line. Now then, I am not saying this because I sell the system components, however these system's are hands down, the best on the market today. Each one is tailored to produce the highest quality of water with the least amount maintenance. 

I just recieved a call from a potential client wanting to know more about our systems, keep up with us on Twitter!

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