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Winter 2004 PNWWATER 028 |
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In a collaborative effort between the Alaska Training and Technical Assistance Center and the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, we prepared a short document on best management practices (BMPs) for rainwater catchments. We considered materials for roofs, gutter/leaders, pumps, pipes, filtration systems, disinfection systems and storage containers. The goal was to have a guidance document that small systems and homeowners could use to improve drinking water quality from rainwater catchment systems. We are now embarking on a study of water quality catchments throughout Alaska. This study will focus on linking the design of rainwater catchments to the quality of water they produce. The importance of this project stems from the fact that many families throughout Alaska depend on rainwater catchment systems to provide water for washing, cleaning, cooking and/or drinking purposes. At present, we are seeking participants statewide with a newspaper and web site advertising campaign. Once a core group of participants has been identified, we will periodically sample and analyze the water collected from participant’s storage tanks for a suite of contaminants that could include: metals (e.g., Cd and Zn), organics (e.g., benzene) and bacteria. |
The
mission of the University of Alaska Fairbanks is to serve as the
premier university in arctic and subarctic research and teaching.
Alaska’s Water and Environmental Research Center (WERC) fills
that role in scientific and engineering studies related to water
resources and environmental quality. WERC’s mission is to perform
basic and applied research related to water and environmental resources,
to train graduate students at master’s and PhD levels in this field,
and to disseminate pertinent research information to the public.
WERC’s research budget currently runs around $1.2 million per year;
graduate education is acquired through student participation in
various research projects. Funding is obtained from state and federal
agencies as well as from private companies and foundations. Faculty,
staff and students at WERC are working to develop a better understanding
of the arctic and subarctic environments. Research disciplines at
WERC include environmental, civil and mechanical engineering; oceanography;
limnology; hydrology; microbiology; geochemistry; and hydraulics.
WERC scientists are conducting cutting-edge research to help improve
the quality of life for arctic inhabitants while supporting careful
and sustainable development of Alaska’s bountiful natural resources,
protecting fragile ecosystems and seeking to better understand the
role of the arctic and subarctic in the global system. An example
of a water-based research project conducted in Alaska is shown below:
Study
of water quality in rainwater catchments in Alaska
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Quality Coordination Project Partners Land Grant Universities Idaho Oregon Washington Northwest Indian College Water Resource Research Institutes Idaho Water Resources Institute for Water and Watersheds State of Washington Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development, For more information contact |
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Project Land Grant Universities, Water Research Institutes and EPA Region 10 have formed a partnership to provide research and education to communities about protecting or restoring the quality of water resources. This partnership is being supported in part by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Our Goal and Approach
Our Strengths |
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The four land grant universities in the Pacific Northwest have aligned our water resource extension and research efforts with eight themes of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
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National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U. S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No 2008-51130-4734. |
907-786-6311
Based on variables such as the materials used in the catchment systems, the frequency of rainfall, the amount of water collected, and the duration of storage we will evaluate the effectiveness of various catchments for providing safe drinking water. This fieldwork, coupled with the BMP document already being prepared, will provide valuable information for homeowners and small systems seeking to use rainwater catchments in Alaska.
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cooperative program consisting of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture - a Regionally-Based National Network - |
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