As a drought grips parts of the United States Midwest and Hawai‘i, the Big Island is making preparations to host a conference bringing national experts together to discuss critical rainwater catchment issues. Eastern cities are implementing water restrictions, the Colorado
As a drought grips parts of the United States Midwest and Hawai‘i, the Big Island is making preparations to host a conference bringing national experts together to discuss critical rainwater catchment issues. Eastern cities are implementing water restrictions, the Colorado River and its lakes are at an eight-year low, and Los Angeles is suffering through the driest year of record.
Critical topics, like decentralizing the water supply by capturing and storing rainwater falling on structures and land to stretch the water supply, will be discussed at the conference.
Trish Macomber, conference organizer, said in a press release, “This will be an exciting opportunity to promote Hawai‘i’s practices in sustainable living, learn the latest rainwater harvesting technologies and showcase our leadership in successful decentralized water supply.”
Rainwater captured from the roofs and grounds of individual residences, businesses, schools and parks can furnish a major part of the irrigation needs, offsetting water needed from public utilities, as well as mitigating stormwater runoff. A rainwater catchment system can be as simple as contoured landscape routing water to a planted area or guttered roof and downspout leading to a small tank, to elaborate engineered and pressurized systems with a purification system for potable water. Rainwater catchment turns what was formerly a nuisance — stormwater runoff — into a valuable resource, reducing demand on municipal water.
The biennial conference of the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, an organization promoting rainwater harvesting in all forms, will take place Aug. 15 to Aug. 17 at Kilauea Military Camp, in Volcanoes National Park, Hawai‘i. The conference hopes to encourage positive and productive sustainable water usage. The meeting offers opportunities to explore the latest technologies and innovations in rainwater harvesting and includes discussion on all aspects of rainwater catchment, from potable household supply, to storm runoff control, water treatment alternatives and ground water recharge.
Keynote speaker will be Andy Lipkis, executive director of Tree People, a Los Angeles-based urban environmental group which helps conserve urban water by ripping up concrete and building huge storage tanks under city parks and schools. In Los Angeles, Lipkis, interviewed on National Public Radio this month, said, for every half inch of rain, 3.8 billion gallons of water runs into storm drains. Capturing that water would reduce Los Angeles’ water imports by 50 percent.
The conference will feature a tour of Volcano Village, which derives almost all of its water supply from captured rainwater. The conference venue itself, Kilauea Military Camp is totally dependent on captured rainwater.
The conference, organized by Trisha Macomber from the University of Hawai‘i CTAHR’s Cooperative Extension Service, is also sponsored by the Hawai‘i State Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch, the East Hawaii Rotary clubs and the Hawaii Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, in cooperation with the American Rainwater Catchment System Association.
The conference is open to the public. For registration fees and information, call Alberta Mehau-Matsu at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Conference Center at 808 974-7555 or visit: www.arcsa07.com.
