Recycle the Rain

Recycle the Rain

Start with a drum

Many people make rain barrels out of inexpensive 50-gallon food-grade drums that were used to carry juices, olives, pickles, etc. Often you can find barrels for around $10 from drum and barrel suppliers.

Be sure to get a heavy-grade plastic container that won't let in light — clear or translucent barrels can speed the growth of algae which can clog pipes.

Building your own rain barrel

Decide where to place the barrel — many people put them under a downspout for easy attachment. Also consider the distance to your plants, gardens and flowerbeds.

If you don't have gutters, put the barrel under a valley in the roof that sheds a lot of water. Be sure to put a screen over the open barrel to keep out debris, small animals and insects. This will take a lot longer to fill, but may be more practical for your location.

Step 1. Clean the barrel

Use food-quality containers, not ones that held harsh chemicals. Rinse the inside of the barrel with a mixture of 1/8 cup of bleach and 5 gallons of water to wash away food or juice remnants.

Step 2. Install a hose spigot

To install a 3/4" hose spigot, drill a 15/16" hole for the spigot threading just a few inches from the bottom of the barrel. This will provide a few inches of clearance for attaching a hose or filling a watering can and allow for debris to settle below the outlet to reduce clogging.

Step 3. Build a platform

Concrete cinder blocks provide a strong, stable and level platform for your rain barrel. If you use more than one layer of blocks, stack them in a crisscross pattern so they won't tip over.

Step 4. Connect downspout to barrel

Position the barrel at its set height and measure where you need to cut or disconnect your downspout. Often you can disassemble the downspout at the gutter by taking out screws or drilling out rivets. If you do have to cut it off, use a fine-toothed hacksaw blade or tin snips.

A flexible downspout extender makes an easy transition from the downspout to your barrel lid and eliminates the need for exact measurement because it bends and stretches to the length you need.

Step 5. Cut barrel opening

Place the downspout connection in the barrel. If your barrel comes with a lid, or if it has a sealed top, you will need to cut a hole in it.

Overflows and multiple barrels

You may want to connect an overflow pipe or link multiple barrels together. An overflow pipe will carry excess water that would normally overflow the barrel to another part of the yard or into another rain barrel; this is a great way to reduce water around the foundation of your house during rain.

Skip the work

Many suppliers sell ready-to-go rain barrels that are already cut. Simply connect the downspout to the lid and you're all set.

The water savings from using stored rainwater rather than municipal or well water can be substantial over a period of time. A rain barrel can also help reduce the amount of water that may settle around the foundation of your home.

Uses for collected water

• connect to a soaker hose (with the pressure-reducing washer removed)
• fill a watering can and hand-water plants, flowerbeds and gardens
• keep your compost bin moist
• rinse off gardening tools

How much rainwater can I collect?

A typical 1/2-inch rainfall will fill a 50- to 55- gallon barrel. Figure about a half gallon of water per square foot of roof area during a 1-inch rainfall. A 2,000-square-foot roof can collect about 1,000 gallons of water (accounting for about 20% loss from evaporation, runoff and splash).

What about filtering?

Leaf debris, bird droppings and chemicals from roof material won't likely be harmful to plants. Use a window screen or wire mesh to keep out debris and insects and clean the tank periodically to remove any settling.

Do I need a permit?

Check with your county to see if a permit is required to install a small rain barrel for landscape watering. Some subdivisions with deed restrictions prohibit them. You can also check your local plumbing and health codes for guidance.

Stay away from plumbing

It's important to keep your rain barrel independent from existing house piping or sprinkler system piping to prevent a cross-connection to your potable water.

Rain barrel supplies

To find barrels or drums to convert into rain barrels, check the phone book or on the web. Make sure you purchase plastic food-grade containers. You can also get ready-to-go rain barrels; they come with an inlet and outlet already installed.

How it works

Catch rainwater...

...from a roof with gutters.

Store rainwater...

...in barrels, both big and small, which can be plastic, fiberglass, concrete or metal, so long as it's non-porous and smooth — even a garbage can will work.

Use collected water...

...either by filling a watering can or attaching a soaker or garden hose to water plants.

Harvesting rainwater using a small rain barrel helps supplement irrigation for a small cost. Storing rainwater also helps reduce storm-water runoff, which can lead to reduced levels of pesticides and fertilizers in our water.