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EPA Conserves Energy By Using Rainwater

964 views · Published 4 March 2008 · 1:46 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: KMBC 9 · 2008 · News & Politics

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The Environmental Protection Agency is harvesting rainwater to help keep its energy costs down.

KMBC's Dion Lim reported that Kansas City gets about 40 inches of rain annually, which is why the EPA decided to put the water to use.

The rainwater is collected on the rooftop of the EPA's building, where it begins a journey down several drains.
"It's one of most energy-efficient labs in the country," said Jeff Robichaud.

For the past few years, the EPA building has been harvesting the rainwater. Some goes to heating and cooling the 72,000-square-foot building. Some of it ends up in a holding tank.

"It rains, drains and collects water and takes it down to a sediment tank, where dirt is pulled out. It then moves on to our holding tank," Robichaud said.

The rooftop rainwater recapture system cleans and recycles more than 760,000 gallons of a water year, which saves the EPA about $3,000.

While the rainwater system isn't enough to pay for all of the building's energy costs, Robichaud said it helps.

Lim reported that the rooftop rainwater recapture system isn't widely used for the average homeowner, but there are ways to harvest rainwater on a smaller scale for your home. To learn about how to make your own rain barrel, visit the EPA's Web site.

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