SFPUC supports Rainwater Harvesting
technical • May 7, 2024
Great news our San Francisco clients! Earlier this year the SFPUC expanded the rainwater harvesting program offerings. Now, residents and businesses can get up to $350 off rainwater harvesting barrels. They've partnered with the Urban Farmer Store to offer these discounts. From their website:
NEW! EXPANDED RAINWATER HARVESTING PROGRAM
With California entering another year of drought, we are pleased to announce that our Rainwater Harvesting Program has expanded! We’ve partnered with theUrban Farmer Store to offer residents and businesses generous discounts on rain barrels and now larger capacity cisterns. Participants in the program will receive either:
- A $100 discount off the purchase of a pre-approved rain barrel, ranging from 45 to 60 gallons (limit 2 per customer). Each rain barrel includes a hose bib, overflow hose, and a connecting valve to join multiple barrels. Discounted downspout diverter kits are also available.
Or
- A $350 discount off the purchase of a cistern, ranging from 130 to 860 gallons (limit 1 per customer).
COMING UP NEXT - rainwater rebates for other counties in the Bay Area!
In February of 2024, DIG Cooperative Inc. installed the first permitted Hydraloop System in San Francisco.
Heavy rains in California may have tricked us into thinking that our water problems are over. In fact, the heavy rains and aftermath of a 5 year drought are really indicators that the problems are getting worse, and water conservation should now be a way of life in California. Some of the many impacts of the drought include the following:
We are happy to announce a new financing program that we offer to clients wishing to make energy efficient improvements but need some financing options to do so. We have partnered with Renew Financial to provide a government sponsored financing solution that allows you to leverage the equity in your home to finance 100% of the installation of your home performance upgrade. This program is suitable for home energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water-saving improvements. Visit dig.coop/financing to learn more today!
Greywater is essentially water that has been used and can be reused. Every state has different regulations on what is and isn't greywater. In California, greywater is water that comes from your laundry machine, shower, and bathroom sink. Toilet water and water used to wash clothes with human waste in it is considered black water and has to go to the sewer if it's untreated. Kitchen graywater is generally not allowed in California. There are some cities that will make certain exceptions.
This week we worked with a group of about 15 high school students with building a graywater system for a client in East Oakland. We diverted the greywater from the washing machine using a 3-way valve and pipe. The water is now exiting into their garden instead of going to the sewer system, where it would cost money to treat and then end up in the ocean. Instead, the greywater is being used to water fruit trees! This is a very simple system that will save money and water. A typical washing machine uses about 20-30 gallons of water per load. At 3 loads per week, you save 300 to 400 gallons of water a month! There is no easier greywater system out there than a Laundry-to-Landscape system, and best of all, no permit is required.