If you have a downspout on the side of your house or garage that directs water away from your house, you're potentially letting a big part of your water bill wash down the rain gutter. Just 1 inch of rain on a 1000 sq ft roof yields a whopping 62.3 gallons of water! While this water might not be fit for human consumption, reclaiming it for use on the yard and garden make good financial and environmental sense.
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Materials Needed:
one 55-gallong or larger barrel
window screen
bungee cords
parts for an outdoor faucet
two o-rings
electrical nut
silicon caulking (optional)
plastic downspout (optional)
electric drill and an Exacto knife
small piece of garden hose
two concrete blocks
The total cost for this project is about $50 for materials (assuming you have the drill). This cost can be reduced considerably if you scour re-use centers or junkyards for used parts.
Instructions:
Start by finding yourself a 55-gallon or larger plastic barrel. Try to locate a food-grade barrel or one that has never been used. There are several companies that use plastic barrels and sell them or give them away when they are finished. Check with recycling centers, re-use or industrial material exchange centers or try calling companies direct. There are several companies on the web that sell them (including online auctions), but you can usually find them cheaper locally. Select one without a cover. You're going to make your own.
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Once you have your barrel you need to fashion a cover for it. This is essential for keeping out mosquitoes, keeping wildlife safe and filtering out plant debris that washes off your roof when it rains. Make the cover by cutting a piece of window screen large enough to fit across the opening. Cut the screen so that it's at least 1 1/2 times bigger than the mouth of the barrel. Secure the screen to the top of the barrel with the bungee cords. Fit the cords tightly around the lip of the barrel so they hold the screen in place. If you want to, trim off any excess screen with a scissors. Caution: This cover is not designed to keep children out. Never let children play around the rain barrel unattended!
For dispensing water, drill a hole near the bottom of the barrel with an electric drill. This is where you will attach the faucet spigot. Drill a small hole and use an Exacto knife to gradually increase the size in order to fit the faucet. Widen it just to the point where the threaded end of the faucet can be twisted into the hole. Tip: If your faucet is too low to fit a bucket underneath, attach a small piece of garden hose on the end to dispense water more easily.
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To seal the area with O-rings, place one on the outside, insert the spigot and place the other one on the inside. Use the electrical nut to secure the O-ring use for the interior. If desired, apply silicon caulking around the area to ensure a tight seal.
Place the concrete blocks side by side and use them to elevate the rain barrel off the ground. Or if you prefer, place the barrel on top of two circular stepping stones. This will not give you as great of water pressure, but it will make the barrel more inconspicuous.
Adjust your downspout to direct water into your rain barrel. If cutting it is not possible or it is hard to work with, purchase a plastic downspout instead.
If you want to try some variations on this design, consider adding a second hole near the top of the barrel for attaching an overflow hose (like the barrel pictured below). You can also add a second hole to the bottom and use a hose to attach a second barrel if you find you need to expand your collection system.
Lilac Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 450 Feedbacks
July 6, 2010
With all the talk of saving water, I have not seen a suggestion to save rain water. Why let it run into the street? You can buy special rain water savers but why not make your own.
Looking for creative ways to harvest rain. Rain barrels used to be a dime a dozen, but now that environmentalism is all the rage, it has driven the price way up on previously discarded industrial barrels. I'm looking for truly innovative ideas, not just using ready made products like trash cans.
I buried my Large cheap Trashcans in the ground ( I tied 3 of them together with plumbing so that all 3 are connected) and added a submersible pump, with a hose attached to it. When I need water I plug in the pump and water away.
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You will have to innovative about the dangers of buried trashcans, you can also use a trash can and cover or decorate it using bricks, landscape timbers, or whatever, of course you will fill this with rainwater from the roof.
Please, please, please cover your cans, after the rain! This will not only prevent debris from clogging your pipes and evaporation losses. Still water is a great place for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. No still water please! Don't make your back yard a haven for mosquitoes.
By asking around at various businesses you may be able to find suitable plastic barrels to make your own rain barrels for little or no cost. This is a page about rain barrels for practically free.
Using a rain barrel is a great way to conserve water but it can also become a breeding ground for mosquitos. This is a page about killing mosquito larvae in a rain barrel.
If you have a downspout on the side of your house or garage that directs water away from your house, you're potentially letting a big part of your water bill wash down the rain gutter. Just 1 inch of rain on a 1000 sq ft roof yields a whopping 62.3 gallons of water! While this water might not be fit for human consumption, reclaiming it for use on the yard and garden make good financial and environmental sense.
