By Allison Barrett
On the side of Mark Davison’s house stands a huge tank. Over 6 feet tall, the cistern is designed to capture runoff from his roof. It only drains a small, 400-square-foot portion of the roof, but during a recent spring rainfall that section of the roof produced enough runoff to fill the 650-gallon tank to the brim.
Without the tank, those hundreds of gallons would have poured directly into Ballard’s sewer lines, an outdated system that frequently overfills and dumps a mess of dirty rainwater and raw sewage into Salmon Bay, making Ballard one of the city’s top perpetrators of polluting Seattle waterways during a rainstorm.
But the city is offering Ballard residents ways to slow down the rain, diverting it into cisterns and rain gardens, as part of a program that is designed to decrease the frequency of polluted overflow.
“We took away a lot of natural infrastructure for dealing with rain,” said Ann Butler, who works with People for Puget Sound and helped lead a bicycle tour on Saturday, June 4, to look at Ballard homes with successful catchment systems.
An intern with People of Puget Sound examines the landscaped retaining wall on a Ballard rain garden. They can vary in design depending on the site.
Impervious rooftops and hard cement surfaces funnel rain into our waterways instead of letting it filter into the ground, she said. On the way, runoff picks up all kinds of pollutants like heavy metals, oil and fertilizer chemicals.
“Percolating it into the ground slows the process,” Butler said.
And the city has to slow the process and cut back on the occurrence of sewer overflows in order to comply with the Clean Water Act. According to Seattle Public Utilities, there are two major sewer outfalls in Ballard that comprised about one quarter of the city’s entire overflow problem in 2010. More than 43 million gallons of sewage and stormwater were discharged into Salmon Bay. Sometimes the overflows happened after as little as one tenth of an inch of rainfall.
SPU is using a three-pronged approach to reducing the overflows. Part of the solution involves increasing the capacity of the sewage infrastructure, retrofitting the existing system as well as adding new pipes and holding tanks.
The other part relies on increasing the capacity of the soil to slow the flow of stormwater, keeping it out of the sewer system and allowing it to filter into the ground.
That’s where cisterns and rain gardens come into the picture. “Cisterns allow you to divert, capture and utilize rain runoff,” said Jim Bristow, a contractor who participated in last Saturday’s tour. Rainwater is directed off the roof and into cisterns that are equipped with a quarter-inch outflow pipe to allow for a controlled release of rainwater, a slow trickle of that soaks into the soil.
Homeowner Liz Tennant has a rain garden installed in her front yard. The rain is directed down from her roof and into a narrow cedar trough that empties into the garden. The cedar trough makes for lovely viewing when it rains, she said.
The cisterns can also be plumbed to provide water for flushing toilets or for the garden. To be able to use the water on edibles, Bristow explains that the system can be designed to do a “first flush,” directing the first bit of rainfall, which is likely to pick up more dirt and pollutants, away from the cisterns. The cistern outflow can be directed into a rain garden, a shallow depression where runoff collects and seeps into the ground. Rain gardens can also operate without cisterns, taking water piped directly from the roof.
The gardens, which are lined on the bottom with gravel and planted with certain kinds of vegetation, are designed with an emergency outflow in case a sequence of heavy rains overwhelms the garden’s capacity.
But an optimal rain garden is built in soil that has a fast absorption rate. Rain garden contractors perform percolation tests on a site before agreeing to install one, and not all yards are suitable.
“One contractor I know will do the percolation test, and if it’s really close he won’t do the garden,” said Butler. He won’t take the risk, she explained. “People need to see that this works.”
Some of the recent attention on rain gardens has been negative, focused on rain gardens where runoff didn’t soak into the soil fast enough, leaving unsightly ponds of standing water. “Some roadside installations have not worked,” said Bob Spencer, RainWise project manager. “We go back and fix them.” In the residential program there are more than 40 installations and they are all working perfectly, he said.
Homeowner Karen Ballantyne discusses rain garden design with the bike tour group.
The city is offering rebates to Ballard residents who want cisterns or rain gardens and have a yard that is suited for them. The city determined how much it would cost to build infrastructure to deal with Ballard’s overflow problem and then opted to pass that money along to homeowners who are willing to have the catchment systems installed. Ballard residents or businesses that are eligible and commit to draining at least 400 square feet of rooftop can receive a rebate of up to $4 per square foot.
“Catching rain from 1,000 square feet of roof can get you up to $4,000 in rebate,” said Spencer. After the project there are inspections.
“It is big to use public funds on private property,” said Spencer. “We have to make sure that we are getting what we promised the public.” You can get more information on the city’s RainWise program here.
If you missed last weekend’s bike tour, there is a walking tour this coming Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at Loyal Heights Elementary School Playground (2511 NW 80th St.)
(Contributor Allison Barrett is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.)
“We took away a lot of natural infrastructure for dealing with rain,” said Ann Butler…
Yes, “we” sure did – when “we” declared Ballard would be paved from end to end with condos and zero-lot-line structures.
And now, what a shock – we have problems with excessive runoff when it rains.
Hey, brilliant planners, I have two suggestions for you, if you really care about this issue:
1. It’s time for a moratorium on new condo construction in Ballard. We have too many already, and vacancies are high. It would do the environment good, and everyone who lives here, if we had a 10 year moratorium on new multi-family construction. With the high vacancy rate and depressed real estate market, everyone would benefit from this. Only the greedy developers will whine. After 10 years, we can re-evaluate and see if it would improve the neighborhood to start building more condos, but we have badly over-built and we need to stop and let Ballard heal a bit before subjecting the neighborhood to any more of that.
2. Ban all zero-lot-line construction, permanently. Evaluate the typical footprint of traditional lots in Ballard – the ratio of the area that’s built/paved to the area that’s left unbuilt/unpaved (lawns, gardens, etc.). Require that same ratio for all new construction, with no exceptions. To keep the number from being skewed by the last decade’s frenzied over-development, use the data from about 10 years ago.
If the so-called “leaders” who are wrecking this city REALLY gave a sh*t about this issue, they could make a much bigger improvement by taking the two above steps than funding any number of expensive “rain gardens”.
Amen brother! (or sister)
But these wonderful rain gardens make so many people feel so good about themselves! And we all know just how important this is. They’re no doubt also saving the world by; A) riding a bike to work. B) driving a Prius. C) be liberal and feeling guilty for having it so good. D) having a bumper sticker to tell the entire world about their rain garden.
But these wonderful rain gardens make so many people feel so good about themselves! And we all know just how important this is. They’re no doubt also saving the world by; A) riding a bike to work. B) driving a Prius. C) be liberal and feeling guilty for having it so good. D) having a bumper sticker to tell the entire world about their rain garden.
you suck it bone dry agit
Running millions of gallons of fresh rainwater through a sewage system is a ridiculous idea to begin with. More rain gardens and water catchment systems will save this city a lot of money in the long run. It’s not just about being environmentally anything…it’s about wasting money treating fresh water and inundating our sewage system. The disciples of Beck can now please STFU since this is actually an evil plot to save the city money and put water treatment back in the hands of the people.
SPG, you’re very mistaken to assume that criticism of the local government idiots is coming from teabagging loons who think Paul Revere was working for the redcoats. I’m about as Democratic as you can get (more progressive than just about anyone here), and I believe our local government is filled with people who are either clueless, incompetent, dishonest, crooked, or some combination thereof. The recent obsession with rain gardens is a perfect example.
For the past decade they have been paving Ballard over as fast as they can. The forced transformation of this neighborhood has had many negative consequences, just one of which is the reduction in natural ground area that can absorb runoff. To simply dismiss that as Beck-inspired hysteria may make you feel good, but it’s completely disingenuous.
While I agree that managing rainwater runoff and avoiding its diversion into the sewer system makes sense, the fact is that the local policy of promoting rapid, unchecked development in Ballard has had (and will continue to have) impacts that are far, far more significant than any minor mitigation they’re going to get even if they put a rain garden in every other house (which they won’t). Like so many Seattle initiatives, this push for rain gardens is 99% for show, and only 1% effective. If they didn’t let greedy developers build condos right up to the property lines, they wouldn’t need rain gardens – or at least I’d be able to accept their PR that they care about the issue a little more readily if they hadn’t been working so hard to screw things up for so long.
There’s so much dishonesty emanating from local government – and yes, that includes the lefties. If you think only the right wing fools are generating BS then you’re blind.
the city will get denser, buddy. there’s nothing you can do to stop that.
most people don’t realize the incredibly huge problem that run-off creates. puget sound is dying and you’re bitching about McGinn in some backhanded manner.
these rain gardens (and planted roofs even more) are the answer. not less condos where there was likely a previous structure. that’s the sort of solution some old ballardite who hates change would come up with.
@Heretic — You need to remember a few things.
@eaddb138d733ebf2b4e36fa166ef3a55:disqus
First — the alternative to Ballard’s increased density (which was carefully planned and well publicized at least 15 years ago in the Urban Villages plan) would be increased rural development which is MUCH worse for Puget Sound.
Second — many of Ballard’s hills are composed of very impervious soils which don’t, without the help of a well-designed rain garden, absorb much water even without pavement.
A couple of gripes about the RainWise program. The eligibility area is too small. What happens if you live east of 15th NW? And why do I need a licensed contractor to install a few cisterns? I would love to install cisterns to drain at least half of my roof…not too sure about any rain gardens just yet. And while I want to do it for the environment and the extra irrigation water for the early summer, I still think it’s crap for SPU to “encourage” people to help out without “helping” people out! I know I’m basically saying “Show me the money,” but this stuff isn’t cheap.
They are offering to show you the money— in the form of fairly substantial rebates that can help to cover much, if not the vast majority, of installing cisterns.
I assume the eligibility area specifically targets property that drains south or west directly into Salmon Bay/ Puget Sound during overflow events. That may not include areas east of 15th.
Why do people speak passive aggressively about local government and not directly confront them? Why not see if you can get an appointment with a city council member or the mayor to discuss your issues? This is a great website to provide local information regarding local issues/ideas, but I’m always stunned by the people that complain about things as if they are running away from the source of the problem. Confront the government in person and directly, don’t be afraid of the government by posting on here, you just end up sounding like you are afraid of something.
“making Ballard one of the city’s top perpetrators of polluting Seattle waterways during a rainstorm.”
when did this happen? who are the other perpetrators? i’m finding this to be a scare tactic. prove me wrong.
Because the government is populated by bullsh*t artists and outright liars (the mayor is a perfect example). “Public input” is a joke, an exercise in APPEARING to listen. These clowns do not care one bit what the public thinks or wants.
Ha ha so funny. Our local/state/federal system is so incompetent, poorly managed and filled with idiots that directly confronting them is akin to wrestling with pigs. In the first place, I work for a living, so public meetings at 2pm are out of the question; 2nd, any real change takes years of beauracracy, paperwork and endless commitment by a concerned citizen with an agenda. Do you realize most people don’t care about our worthless government, it’s a shameless self-perpetuating beauracracy.
@Tarkus:disqus — I am guessing you have never actually met with a Seattle city representative to meaningfully address an issue. I have always found our elected representatives to be intelligent, hardworking people and Seattle is justifiably known to have some of the finest public servants in the country.
Earn the democracy you enjoy by participating in it!
yes. just like climate change, I want more evidence. I think that is also a scare tactic.
You believe that one too.
“Seattle is justifiably known to have some of the finest public servants in the country”
Oh, really. What an incredible statement.
Without exception, everyone I know thinks Seattle’s government is a perfect example of a dysfunction bunch of clowns who can’t get anything done and have contempt for the people that elected them.
You’ve never heard of “the Seattle process” I guess. You just moved here, right? Either that or you work for one of these idiots.
“Mom,” I have been here a long time (you, on the other hand, sound like a recent arrival). Nobody ever asked the local residents about the plan to turn Ballard into Belltown North. I’ve been here for decades, and while I may have been paying attention to other details (working, family, getting by), I do not recall EVER seeing any “well publicized” plan to do this to Ballard (shame on me, I should have attended every city council meeting in the 1990s I guess). Oh, I *do* recall there being a much publicized plan to connect Ballard with downtown via this monorail thing – then that was killed, but the plan to shove in tens of thousands of new residents to Ballard (which MIGHT have made some sense if there was decent transit) – of course, no adjustment there – the cute sounding “urban village” lie was predicated on the monorail being abale to move a lot of people. Oh – no monorail? No problem! We’ll just still shove in a quarter million people and see what happens. A recipe for disaster.
Your argument about “the alternative to Ballard’s increased density” is dishonest. Ballard has become the city’s primary dumping ground for condos and homelesss – other neighborhoods have NOT been subject to the same abuse. You can preach to me about the necessity of Ballard taking all the city’s crap when I see other neighborhoods taking their fair share. I don’t see the condos and the bum services and all the other things that have been done to Ballard happening in other neighborhoods. Until other parts of Seattle share in some of the crap we’ve been stuck with, then keep your BS about how it’s Ballard’s responsibility to save the rest of the world.
I know all about how some of the soil around here is basically hard clay. That’s because I’ve taken 5 minutes to stick a shovel in the ground, which was apparently too much work for the morons who planned all the local rain gardens, so now the city is spending half a million dollars to remove some of them – nice “well-designed” project there, “mom”.
Wow, are you a paid spokesperson for the Mayor or something? How about lets waste another 13 mil of taxpayer money to relook again at replacing the viaduct, again. How about I through a tantrum because they’re not building the bridge exactly how I want it. I have no problem paying taxes, I can’t stand waste, fraud and abuse at any level!
Well they already lied about the amount of oil going into the Sound, lied about bacteria at Golden Gardens….
Let’s try this again, with actual facts.
Despite what you seem to think, there are no smoke-filled rooms where the mayor and developers work out their plan to destroy Ballard with condos and bums. For one thing, indoor smoking is illegal. More importantly, it’s determined by the market competition. Developers build in Ballard because they think they can make a profit in Ballard. The city lets them because the master plan for Seattle has provisions for higher density in the urban villages you claim not to have heard about. This is from way before the monorail. Higher density in some areas is good because it keeps people from driving to homes on former forest in Issaquah every day.
You might not agree, but downtown Ballard has pretty damn good public transit. There are two major day and night routes to downtown (15/18 & 17), one major and one commuter route to UW (44 & 46), and a few other routes to/from the hinterlands (75, 48, 28, etc.). I certainly wouldn’t turn down more, but you can live there reasonably without a car. I know, because I’ve done it.
Believer’s right when he says that rain gardens are a great thing for the Sound. Dirt and plants are an incredibly effective filter for damn near anything, from sewage to oil. They also save the city vast amounts of money in treating rainwater as sewage, not to mention fines from EPA when combined storm/sanitary sewers overflow. Also, if you’d bothered to read the articles about the rain gardens, you would have noticed that the residential rain garden program has had no removals. The streetside program has the half million dollar oops that you mentioned, but even there, half of the gardens are working as planned.
I like pie more than cake.
Thanks for the article – I for one support the Rainwise program because it addresses the fundamental issue of the sewer overflows. while I agree that our city government doesn’t always do the right thing – I’m happy to give them credit when they move in the right direction – this is a checkmark (for me) in the positive column.
As for all these peeved off “old ballardites” commenting – I LIVE HERE TOO and thankfully have as much right to this part of town as any of you – so if you don’t have anything constructive to add to the discussion – don’t bother commenting.
but, but, but, yuppies! New Ballard! Bike lanes! spandex! Arglebarglegargle destruction of an idealized notion of a place that never existed except in a foggy memory of what I wanted it to be!
Yeah, I hear ya on that. I’m a DIY kinda homeowner and I’d like to see this program for more of the city, but I understand why they have those limitations at this point. Without a licensed contractor involved they can’t be as certain that the end result will do what it’s supposed to. They also need to contain the test area so that they can judge if it’s having an impact.
I think cyanide and any poison is a scare tactic. How can something that small really kill you? I want more evidence!
This happens fairly often when large amounts of rain water overload the system and cause it to dump sewage into the sound.
The perpetrators? You and mother nature.
According to the “Old Ballardites” you do not have any right to this part of town whatsoever. You are also to blame for all the ills of this town and even the arthritis and dementia that plagues Ye Olde Ballarde.
MomCares
Are you insane? By what standard are you using to rate public servants (What a ridicules term)? Fraud, waste, corruption, incompetence? By those three standards we are on top.
but why ballard? why not magnolia? west seattle? what are those neighborhood rankings? i’m just thinking they’re not telling us everything (can you say spin?) and there’s more to this and they’re just scaring ballard into submissiveness.
Seattle-style corruption: get a contribution from a strip club owner and rezone to let him expand his parking lot.
Louisiana-style corruption: $100K in cash in the office freezer.
Illinois-style corruption: Selling a Senate seat to the highest bidder.
Somehow, I think they have us beat.
Why Ballard, you ask? Because the residents are suckers. Other neighborhoods push back. So the city’s dumping ground is Ballard. Ballard is the path of least resistance (and least critical thinking skills).
We could use the standard of how batspit crazy all our elected officials drive the teabaggers. By that metric they’re doing quite well.
You open the tap and water comes out.
You flip a switch and the light turns on.
You flush a toilet and the waste “magically” disappears.
And there are no open sewers running in the streets.
And you don’t have to carry a gun to go to work.
And you drive down the street and the streetlights work.
And the schools are open when they’re supposed to be open.
And there are actually parks and libraries sprinkled throughout the community.
And if your house catches on fire, someone shows up within a very few minutes.
And you can buy food at a store or a restaurant and not worry if it’s going to make you sick.
And you can put your money in a bank and know it will be there when you go to spend it.
And on and on and on.
If you think these are the signs of a government that is filled with the stupid and the corrupt, you’re a moron. Pure and simple.
So SPG
Do you demo Teabagging for your children on a regular basis?
I’m not a “family values” republican, anti gay crusader, or youth minister, so no. But considering the shear volume of GOP and conservative child molesters we read about in the papers every day, I’d think that particular fetish would be more up your alley.
The best you can do are insults? How 3rd grade of you.