Ole and Maitri Ersson are first in Portland to get a permit to transform rainwater into household use

Wednesday, February 16, 2000

Ole and Maitri Ersson have taken the one thing most Oregonians would say they have a surplus of -- rain -- and started using it to their advantage.

The Erssons are the first people in the city to receive a permit to "rainwater harvest," or collect rain and use it in their house as a water source. Jed Scheuermann, senior plumbing inspector for the city, said harvesting systems for gardens are quite common and require no permit. But approved systems for household use have been nonexistent in Portland.

With the Erssons' success and more people becoming concerned about water quality, Scheuermann said he thinks more households may try to develop rain systems. And now, after getting accustomed to harvesting, the Erssons say the system is so economical and easy that residents who fret when they see their water bill should think about installing one.

"This is nothing new, it is technology of 40 and 50 years ago," Ole Ersson said.

In short, the rainwater that falls on the couple's Southeast Portland home is transported by storm drains to a 1,500-gallon barrel. Then the water is sanitized, pumped into the house and ready to be used just like city water. The assemblage collects about 750 gallons, half the tank, every time it rains an inch. All parts and pieces cost about $1,500 and were purchased at farm supply and hardware stores, Maitri Ersson said.

Curious residents have been calling Portland officials about rainwater harvesting systems for months, Scheuermann said. And as people become more aware that water is a nonrenewable resource and water bills climb higher and higher, they are beginning to examine alternative methods of daily living. "We are at a dawning of a new era," he said.

Portland Mayor Vera Katz said she, too, is excited by the Erssons' system and plans on visiting the house to learn more about rainwater harvesting. "It is a great idea," she said.

But it was not an overnight decision for the Erssons -- he is a doctor and she is a homemaker -- to start drinking their rainwater. "It was something we considered for a long time," Ole Ersson said. To make the project a reality, it took inventiveness from both the city plumbing inspectors and the Erssons. When they presented the idea to the city, officials expressed two major concerns. First, would the water be safe to drink?

This was settled when the couple agreed to self-test the water twice a year, at a cost of $18 per test. The system keeps the water purified with a set of two microbial filters and an ultraviolet light sterilizer. The filters remove certain bacteria while the sterilizer disables the remaining bacteria from reproducing. The barrel is also cleaned once a year with bleach. So far, the results have been cleaner than city water, Ole Ersson said.

The next question was, could the Erssons' harvesting possibly damage the city's water system? When a large amount of water gets used on your street -- by a fire truck, for example -- water in your pipes can be drawn out of your house to compensate for the high usage. And though you don't get charged for it -- water meters also run backward -- the water that was in your house at one time could potentially come out of someone else's faucet.

The Erssons solved that problem by installing a "reduced pressure backflow prevention device," essentially removing their house from the city water pool. The city would not require the device if the Erssons used rainwater exclusively, but since the summers are relatively dry, they depend on city water during those months.

Nominal maintenance costs for the harvesting include replacing filters, the UV bulbs and water testing. But for the couple, there is no doubt it is worth it.

The Erssons have met other Portland-area residents who have similar systems for their toilets, washing machines and showers. None of these people have permits because they do not want to "deal with the bureaucrats," Ole Ersson said. Scheuermann confirmed that some of his inspectors have found similar systems on residential inspections.

But the reason the Erssons got their permit and maintain their Web page, Maitri Ersson said, is to show people that the city was willing to work with interested parties. Besides, nothing is sweeter justice for the rebel spirit than being in compliance and at the same time not owing the city money.

With a smile, Ole Ersson recounts getting the water bill after using the system for the first winter. "We had used so little water that the meter didn't even register it."