Peter Gleick, an international water expert and president of the Pacific Institute, describes sustainable water use as “the use of water that supports the ability of human society to endure and flourish into the indefinite future without undermining the integrity of the hydrological cycle or the ecological systems that depend on it” (Gleick et al. 1995). The City of Bellingham’s sustainable water management approach incorporates rainwater harvesting as one strategy to help ensure a safe, cost-effective, and reliable drinking water supply now and in the future. Preparation of Rainwater Harvesting: Guidance toward a sustainable water future (Guide) is intended to help city residents and businesses use this strategy. Incorporating rainwater harvesting fosters a shift in how we think about and use our existing finite water resources by pairing an appropriate renewable water source with a range of appropriate end uses.
Keywords: rainwater harvesting; active; tanks; sustainable water management; site evaluation; design principles