Big Roofs

Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority

We are excited to have these four cisterns as tangible evidence of our willingness to walk the talk about caring for our environment. We talk about environmental justice and climate change and are pleased to be taking this step to mitigate stormwater runoff in our community.
Marisa Alison, Sustainability Chair, UW AOII
Project Facts
Contractor
Thriving Garden Designs
Scope
Four cisterns
Roof Captured
4,937 square feet
Amount Rebated
$8,592
Project Summary

Located on Greek Row in the University District neighborhood of Seattle, Alpha Omicron Pi is proud to be a part of the UW Green Greek program, which is run entirely by students and aims to make the UW Greek Community a more sustainable place. With installation of four rainwater cisterns managing rainwater runoff from a total of nearly 5,000 square feet of roof area, AOII has a solution to stormwater pollution. Their project

  • keeps nearly 20,000 gallons of stormwater out of the combined sewer system every year,
  • provides an educational opportunity for students to learn about clean water,
  • captures and manages stormwater run-off from the roof, and
  • protects Puget Sound from combined sewer system overflows.

The project was completed in October 2019, with a total of $XX covered by the RainWise rebate program.

Project Specifications

Two 865-gallon Bushman cisterns, situated next to each other, collect about 2,316 square feet of the Alpha Omicron Pi house roof. An additional two 865-gallon Bushman cisterns in a series collect 2,621 square feet from the roof and then overflow to the sidewalk via a dispersion trench. In total, 4,937 square feet is captured from the roof and slowly trickles through the cisterns’ low-flow valve back into the sewer system. This reduced flow helps curb pollution into local waters.

Collegiate Environmental Stewardship

RainWise Outreach Staff worked closely with AOII Collegiate member and Sustainability Chair for the Upsilon Chapter, Marisa Alison. In October 2019, RainWise held a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside AOII members to celebrate the first facility in the UW Green Greek system to go RainWise.

AOII urges other Greek Organizations on campus and other members of the community to join the RainWise program to continue the process of sustainability on campus and in the Seattle area. Project partners include Sorority leadership, King County staff, RainWise outreach staff and the creative design talents of the RainWise contractor, Thriving Garden Designs.

Further Reading

Alpha Omicron Pi Case Study