Need Free Water? Build a Rain Barrel

Step 7 Enjoy Free Water!

Here's a photo of the rain barrel receiving its first deluge of rain water. There's a piece of window screen on the top of the barrel to filter out debris. The screen is also important in preventing mosquitos from entering and mulitplying.

As a bonus, this system makes a splendid watering system for gardens during dry seasons. I use tap water to fill the barrel with 15 or 20 gallons, and then use the barrel outlet hose to meter out water to specific garden areas. You can walk away from it, and your garden will slowly receive that 15 or 20 gallons, no more, no less. Very nice for those times when rain water is in short supply.

Comments

[bwells2]

Do you know how much money it will save on your water bill? That is amazing! Thank you for sharing.

[kkarwan]

you should realy filter the water and boil it before ingesting as it can pick up tar bird manure, and solvents off f a roof not to mention the noxious chemicals that are in our atmosphere, that this water was recently in contact with.

[intel_intel]

thenk

[mclelm]

Rainwater Harvesting systems are great; I have two barrels in two locations.  I don't know if anyone mentioned this (I didn't read the 69 comments), but if you've got this type of white barrel or any other translucent barrel anywhere the sun shines on them, algae will grow; at least it did on my white barrel.  The barrel will have to be shielded in some way- by painting the barrel or some sort of solid box, trellis with vines, etc.

[Jouda Mann]

I wonder if this can be optimized for keeping mosquitoes out. I live in nort Texas, and there is local legislation being discussed which will outlaw standing water because of the dangers of West Nile and so on. Could your design be modified to something like this?

[jesmedley]

I just toss a mosquito "dunk" into the barrel.

[thetech101]

Something like this would be a really good design. Just change the outer filter to glass (to heat the water; if you're worried about algae just paint the glass black with at least two layers of paint) instead of what's listed in the picture. If you paint the glass black, your setup could slide under the legislation if it is put into effect. This will be my setup, but I'm gonna use some used hot water heater tanks and a solar hot water heater to provide hot water for my house. Free clean hot water!

[shadesofsisyphus]

If you are going to do this to prevent mosquitos, throw an S-Trap (like on your sink/toilet/whatever) into the downspout. I would bet mosquitos would fly up that chute to lay eggs (not sure if they need sun, but I doubt it) and the S-Trap would allow a bit of that, but the washing action when it overflows would drown the eggs. Failing that, the s-trap would provide a MUCH smaller surface for egg laying.

[McSensei]

I think the s-trap is a good idea. The the "classic" solution in waste-water plumbing to prevent the egress of gas into living space. It's well-suited to the "waste" water coming from a rain barrel. I'll plan to incorporate that into the next iteration of the design.

[netbuddy]

If you have the over flow pipe packed with a filter that was water resistant and the end capped with a mesh cap to hold the filter in place, you will be stopping bugs getting in but allow for air and the water to over flow when full.

[2 stroke]

this is a great idea plus i stops your basement from flooding

[Greenehouse]

I wonder if there is any sort of filter (besides or in addition to) the screen that you could use that would filter out stuff off the roof you wouldn't want in your pool. (I'm thinking of using it to replenish evaporated pool water.)

[Goedjn]

USDA used to recommend a 10' sand-pipe. If you try to filter the water before it gets to the barrel, then you need a filter system with a large throughput. It works better if you have an initial catchment that can hold most of one storms worth of water, and then a sand-filled pipe to a covered cistern that holds your "filtered" water.

[McSensei]

I think using rainwater for pool water is a great idea. You would want to construct a better filter system though. I suggest a multi-stage system that begins with a piece of 1/4" hardware cloth, set up to be self-cleaning, and then, a piece of coarse window screen, and then a piece of fine window screen. I would look at drain/waste/vent 4" plastic pvc pipe parts and try to figure out something that would work. Probably a vertical arrangement with the screening installed at an angle, so that it is able to shed debris through an opening while allowing the water to fall straight through. You will just have to be creative. Finally, since most pools have their own filter systems, the final filtering and finishing could be achieved through standard pool chemistry and filter maintenance.

[pkguy]

I would use it for the same things. I'm on the west side of Cleveland (Strongsville), where did you find your barrel for $4?