Standard establishes best practices for captured rainwater and stormwater installations

ASSE/ARCSA/IAPMO/ANSI Series 21000-2022, Professional Qualifications Standard for Rainwater Catchment Systems Personnel, has been designated as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Now available for purchase, the standard was first published in 2017 by ASSE International and the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) to address an increasing number of residential, commercial, and industrial rainwater and stormwater systems being installed. The standards within Series 21000 establish best practices and uniform minimum requirements for qualified designers, installers, and inspectors of viable alternative water systems utilizing captured rainwater or stormwater.

Program guidelines and a series of exams have been created for the certification of rainwater catchment system installers, designers and inspectors. The standard complements ARCSA/ASPE/ANSI 63, Rainwater Catchment Systems, and ARCSA/ASPE/ANSI 78, Stormwater Harvesting System Design for Direct End-Use Applications.

“Today, 42.4% of the U.S. and 50.7% of the lower 48 states are in drought. Properly designed, installed, and inspected rainwater catchment systems can help replace the use of potable water for irrigation and allow for watering landscaped and gardened areas during times of drought,” said Kurt Steenhoek, United Association (UA) international representative and ASSE Series 21000 Working Group chairperson. “These systems can help bring water to areas that have development restrictions, depleted ground or surface water sources, or infrastructure that is unable to deliver suitable water quantities or qualities.”

To tell the truth, I didn’t want to write about the terrible events of December 14, 2012, when 20 children and six adults were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. I figured other media would provide ample coverage, and anything we did would look cheap or inappropriate. But two things turned me around.

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