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Ocean View and communities across the globe will increasingly rely on rainwater harvesting to adapt to climate
change and environmental pollution issues, says the founder of Uncle Tilo's who offers a Clean Water class
at Ocean View Community Center April 9. Photo from Todd Lolla
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In addition to hosting informational sessions, Lolla recruits Field Technicians to train and provide knowledge, services, and products "to further contribute to the wellbeing of our local rainwater harvesters." He offers Water Partnerships, along with training and support to those who would like to become certified technicians through the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association.
"We support rainwater harvesters with peace of mind," said Lolla. "Uncle Tilo’s mission provides economically viable and environmentally friendly solutions for rainwater harvesters." He said, "Rainwater harvesting as a necessary component into the future."
Lolla, who is known as Uncle Tilo, grew up in the Midwest and remembers harvesting rainwater on his family’s dairy farm through the mid 1970’s. He is a graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines, with a BS in Geological Engineering, A career in Arizona combined consulting and contractor skills.
While working for a civil engineering firm in Phoenix, his projects involved groundwater studies and subsequent cleanup of fuel spills at gasoline stations. This led him to earn a license to be a well-driller in Arizona for ten years. He said his focus on groundwater issues moved him to specialize in storm water management. He worked with state environmental agencies during the 1990’s to set standards for the protection of groundwater across the desert Southwest.
In 2009, he left the engineering world and moved to Hawai’i Island with a calling to "return to community.” He saw the large demand for rain catchment systems as a potable water source.
In 2017, Lolla founded Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water LLC to "fill the need for both education and service involving one of the most basic of human needs, clean water."
Lolla pointed to World Population Review, showing the number of Hawai’i county residents recently increased to more than 200,000, with a large percentage dependent on rainwater catchment as a primary domestic water source.
Lolla noted, "The Island of Hawai’i, the largest and most southerly island in the Hawaiian archipelago, is characterized by dynamic communities including rural and remote areas not served by municipal water. These communities rely on private or shared wells, water trucked from public spigots and rainwater catchment. Hawai’i Island's population has increased steadily in recent years, as the global demand for access to clean water grows."
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Todd Lolla founded Uncle Tilo's to teach best
practices for rainwater harvesting. |
Uncle Tilo's has hosted more than 50 free Clean Water classes, provided sponsorships, and social media marketing to focus attention on the issues surrounding rainwater harvesting. TilosCleanWater.com "is designed for empowerment through education," said Lolla.
He said, "It is very important that those using water from a rainwater catchment system understand all the potential dangers and benefits. In Hawai’i, there are no government agencies overseeing the safety of private rainwater catchment systems. It is up to the owner or user of the system to know how to maintain this type of water source and use it in an appropriate manner. With proper design, maintenance, water treatment, and disinfection, a rainwater catchment system can provide water that is free of contamination; soft, clear, odorless, and suitable for drinking and other daily needs. However, improperly designed or maintained rainwater catchment systems may pose a health risk; for example, via the introduction of waterborne illness and exposure to heavy metals."
Lolla said that waterborne and vector-borne illness may be transmitted to users from rainwater catchment systems that lack appropriate system elements, maintenance, or from insufficient treatment of stored water. For example, catchment tanks lacking covers or with damaged or poorly sealed covers can provide breeding opportunities for mosquitos known to be disease vectors. Lolla pointed out that the 2015-2016 dengue virus outbreak on Hawai’i Island sickened hundreds. The state Department of Health identified “uncovered catchment systems…” as a potential source of dengue virus infected mosquitos and suggested essential actions be taken to control mosquito breeding in rainwater harvest systems. Other vector-borne diseases transmitted by mosquitos, such as the globally emerging Zika virus, are of concern in areas where mosquitos may breed. The invasive semi-slug, with a propensity to climb up and into water tanks, is a known host of the parasitic nematode responsible for infecting humans with rat lungworm disease, Lolla noted.
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Uncovered water catchment systems were a potential source of
mosquitoes carrying dengue fever in the 2015-2016 outbreak
on this island. Photo from CDC |
He cautioned that when it comes to exposure to heavy metals, "the fact that all rainwater is corrosive is at the top of the list. Most rainwater is acidic, regardless of where you are on the planet. Here in Hawai’i, we also have volcanic emissions at this time that adds to this problem as was confirmed by testing one tank while hosting a class in Ocean View last month. "The owners expressed they had never added any minerals in the tank, and it tested out with a pH of 4.5. Typical rainfall has a pH around 6, that means the rainwater we catch in the Kaʻū District is very corrosive."
Lolla warned,"If your pipes, sinks, tubs, or toilet have stains, it’s because metals have leached into your water supply. If you are brushing your teeth, showering, drinking, or cooking with this untreated water you are being exposed to heavy metals. Corrosive water may leach metals from your plumbing system, such as lead, cadmium, zinc, iron or copper into your water supply. It also shortens the life expectancy of all plumbing fixtures and appliances."
Uncle Tilo’s recommendation is to add minerals to neutralize rainwater to help mitigate ongoing events of the volcanic eruption that are carried along by vog, with its impact on air and rain. Lolla reported a recent increase in calls due to voggy conditions.
He said Uncle' Tilo's principle is simple: "From the raindrop to your faucet the whole system affects the quality of the water you use, and ultimately affects the quality of your health."
Learn more at
TilosCleanWater.com.
HAWAI'I IS ONE OF THE SIX LEAST STRESSED STATES in the country, according to a study released Sunday by WalletHub. The research arm of the finance company reports that April will be Stress Awareness Month and that one in three Americans say that "stress from the pandemic sometimes prevents them from making basic decisions."
According to the study, Hawai'i has the highest job security and ranks as least stressed state related to health and safety. It ranks third in having the lowest percentage of adults in fair or poor health and the lowest number of people living in poverty. It is also third in having the lowest divorce rate. Hawai'i ranks tenth as the least stress related to family matters.
Its worst metric is being the state with the least affordable housing. It it also the state where people have the fewest average hours of sleep in the country. The states with the most sleep per night are all cold in winter - Minnesota, South Dakota, Vermont, Colorado and Montana.
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Hawai'i is the sixth least stressed state, according
to a WalletHub study, ranking highest in job security,
health and safety and the state with third least
percentage of the population living in poverty. |
To determine the states with the highest stress levels, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 41 key metrics. The data set ranges from average hours worked per week to the personal bankruptcy rate to the share of adults getting adequate sleep. The states ranked with least stressed are Utah, followed by Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Hawai'i. The most stressed state is Louisiana, followed by Nevada, New Mexico, West Virginia, Mississippi and Arkansas.
For the least stressed states, Utah has the least hours worked per week. It also has the lowest separation and divorce rate, which is 1.7 times lower than in Nevada, the state with the highest number of divorces and separations at 26.07 percent. Minnesota has the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health - at 10 percent which is two times lower than West Virginia, the highest at 19.90 percent.
The study pointed out that Louisiana, with the most stress, also has ten psychologists per 100,000 persons - the lowest in the county.
WalletHub also gave out some advice on managing stress from its pool of professors specializing in the subject of stress, including Dr. Lisa Sanetti, who wrote:
"Identify the situations, people, places, encounters that cause you to feel stress. Because these are the events that set the wheels of stress in motion, being aware of them will help you manage them. Make a list of the most common stressors in your life then review each one; can you change it or avoid it?
"Have trouble with office politics? Stay out of it. Worried about the state of global affairs and spending time doom scrolling? Delete apps and limit time with technology.
"Changing or avoiding stressors is a feasible approach for some situations, but it will only get you so far. What if you cannot change the situation? What if you cannot avoid the stressor? Although some stressors are beyond your control, your thoughts and beliefs about them are within your control. An effective, and free, approach to stress management is learning to recognize and change the sorts of thinking patterns that intensify your emotions and lead to poor coping."
SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO
See March edition of The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper at
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