Rain for Rent = bottled water, but different? Maybe.
While home on Long Island around Christmastime, my sisters and I noticed a large, blue industrial looking truck with the words “Rain for Rent” on the side. What is it? How does it work? As it turns out, the idea of renting rainwater goes beyond borrowing big blue trucks filled with water, which coincidentally was the first imaged my mind conjured, however comical it may be. So it’s a bit more complex than bottled water. Still, being able to bring water to places that need irrigation? It’s a good idea.
I am not certain that the truck I saw on the Long Island Expressway was from this New Jersey based company, but I would assume that, if not the same, the ideas are similar. According the Rain for Rent website, the company began in 1934 and defines themselves as “setting the performance standard for complete liquid handling solutions”. After some brief exploring on the site, you’ll see that the company is about moving rainwater and other liquids, whether it is to or from a location. Projects range from irrigation to storm water cleanup to spill containment and many more. (See here to read about their solutions and projects). Focus areas of work include agricultural, bypass, construction, environmental, filtration, mining, oil & gas industry, oil & water septic, pipeline, pumping, refining, spill containment, and tank. The company mission focuses on environmentally friendly solutions.
Has anyone heard of this company before? Similar companies? If they are environmentally friendly, are they perhaps protecting (by default) our cultural and landscape resources (due to things such as their trenchless technology or “no dig” efforts)? Should this be something considered by additional divisions of industry and technology?
What do you think? Yes? No? As brilliant as bottled water (depending on how you look at it)?
[image from www.rainforrent.com]
Preservation in Pink 