• In order for water reuse to really make sense, we have to begin incorporating rainwater and graywater use INSIDE homes and buildings.  The City of Berkeley, ever the maverick, has done just that!

    Thanks to Art Ludwig, of Oasis Design, for bringing the newly permitted indoor rainwater system to our attention.

    Jetton Construction Tackles Water Conservation Through First Permitted Rainwater System for Interior Use in Berkeley

    BERKELEY, CA. May 10, 2010 – Jetton Construction, sustainable builders in the San Francisco Bay Area, has constructed the first permitted residential rainwater catchment for interior use in the City of Berkeley.

    Rainwater harvesting is the collection and storage of rain for non-potable purposes.  Jetton Construction, together with Hyphae Design Laboratory and JSW/D Architects, created a system to collect the rainwater from the roof and transport it to a 2,500-gallon underground storage tank. The water is then thoroughly filtered and pumped into the house to use for washing clothes and flushing toilets. This integrative system fits into the hillside site to accommodate the surrounding landscape and effectively reduces storm water runoff pollution to the San Francisco Bay.

    Jetton Construction and Hyphae Design Laboratory worked in cooperation with Roger Rushing at the City of Berkeley to meet the City’s newly established rainwater system permit requirements. Until recently, rainwater collection could only be used for outside irrigation. Rushing, a Senior Green Building Inspector created the guidelines to make the indoor use of rainwater a reality. The challenge was to create a catchment system that meets water quality safety and maintenance requirements. Using draft alternative plumbing codes established under the International Association for Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) and design standards specified by the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), Rushing crafted alternative means and methods to demonstrate equivalency with existing plumbing codes. “The lesson learned in this process,” said Rushing “is that with persistence the codes can accommodate.”
    The Jetton and Hyphae teams worked efficiently to get plans and revisions to the City and expedite the approval process. “A rainwater catchment systems has cost benefits for residents who want to sustain and conserve our most valuable natural resource” said Bill Jetton, owner of Jetton Construction. “That the City of Berkeley is making rainwater catchment for indoor use legal speaks to their commitment to water conservation. We are delighted to be the first pilot project in the city.”

    Attention to resource conservation is just one of the ways that Jetton Construction has stood by their commitment to build for a sustainable future. Many of their projects include greywater for irrigation, sustainably harvested building materials, high efficiency heating systems and Energy Star appliances.

    In a time of scare natural resources, homeowners are soliciting experts like Jetton Construction to help educate them on how to make home investment decisions that result in the design and comfort that they want while sustaining our valuable environment.

    For more information, visit www.jettonconstruction.com

    Bill Jetton, Principal
    Jetton Construction
    (510) 845-3506
    bill@jettonconstruction.com