Comments on: Poor Man’s Guide to Rain Barrels

By: Stan

Stan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:24:09 +0000

Rain barrels are an excellent way to save runoff that can cause problems elsewhere. For those concerned about bacteria from the roof getting on food plants, please consider that the soil the plants grow in has much greater numbers of microorganisms. You would also do well to remember that the vast majority of these microorganisms do not cause human diseases. Microorganisms causing human diseases usually come from other humans! Careful washing of the outside surfaces of your veggies would likely remove all types of microorganisms. The insides are sterile already because the roots and other surfaces are excellent barriers to everything except water and soluble nutrients.

Regarding the presumed toxins from roofing materials, until someone does a double-blind, controlled experiment and shows persistent toxic effects of roof runoff, I will operate on the hypothesis that any toxic materials are so greatly diluted that the food plants and the consumers will not experience any ill effects. Besides the vast numbers of friendly soil microbes will have an excellent chance to detoxify any very dilute toxins that may be present in roof runoff used for irrigation prior to the plants actually coming in contact with them.

If someone has or knows of actual experimental data to support alternative viewpoints, I would be pleased to receive information on the specific sources.

By: Layne

Layne — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:20:09 +0000

Hi Jim,
I have a question for you. We are in the 3rd year of utilizing our rain barrels (barrels available locally in East Central, IN for only $5 ea!) and are really tired of carrying all the water. We have extensive flower and garden areas. We built a 3 barrel system to move our barrels down to the end of a makeshift platform to fill the buckets. When the barrel is empty, we put it at the end to collect more water and the next full barrell moves forward. However we would like to slide-load the barrels onto our lawn cart (pulled by the riding mower) and use a hose to water these areas to save time and backaches. Problem is – moving the barrels. The system we devised had heavy duty plastic wheel tracks on both sides but they have deteriorated now. Do you know of anything we could improvise with to build a conveyor-type system on a poor gals wages?
Thanks! And have a great day!!!

By: Squidman

Squidman — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:02:51 +0000

Ha, ha, ha. I call that a WIN for common sense.

By: barreldude

barreldude — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:49:40 +0000

If you really think about the reasons they have laws against collecting the rainwater, it’s pretty dumb.

We aren’t “keeping” the rainwater forever, we’re watering the plants with it!

Instead of raining right onto the land, we collect it in a barrel and then POUR IT (or hose it) ON THE LAND. Same difference.

It’s just a detour. Not like we can burn the stuff into oblivion. Sheesh.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:39:30 +0000

While a good idea, I bet you lose a lot of water in evaporation. That isn’t an issue with a rain barrel because the water is “free” (from a dollar and ecological standpoint) but for stuff that needs to come from a tap, I’d rather not lose it to the environment just because I was lazy.

By: James

James — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:18:56 +0000

How about a hybrid approace. Get the barrel, and fill it up with the hose once in a while and save running up and down, and tracking through the basement.

By: JustamerePutterer

JustamerePutterer — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:27:11 +0000

There are various devices possible to divert the first few minutes of rain from the roof away from the rain barrel. This gets rid of probably 95+% of any toxins that have accumulated on your roof. The roof is washed.

An easy one is to have the down spout from the gutter as usual, but closed off at the end with only a small leak possible. Much higher up, A “T” joint into another downspout running into your rain barrel. You have to do some calculating, but the object is to have enough storage of toxic water in the first downspout so that by the time it fills up, the roof has been washed of toxins and only reletively pure rain water gets to your rain barrel. The small leak will clear the toxic water storage automatically, ready for the next rainstorm, but not fast enough that an “on again, off again” stormy day will not get most of its “pure rain” into the rain barrel.

There are hundreds of variations and ideas possible, and this one must be modified to be practical, including clogging of the small leak hole, cleaning dead leaves branches and bird droppings, etc. But the principle remains the same.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:19:17 +0000

This is brilliant…I have always wanted to build one, and it IS legal in Minnesota! One could use a big 55 gallon trash can and cut a hole in the lid, insert your down spout and bingo…I think you could put an old nylon stocking over the end of the downspout as a filter too…easily changed when clogged.

By: CK

CK — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:08:04 +0000

Welcome to the arcane world of water rights in the western US. Most in the western US do not have rights to the water that falls on their property. Some states are working out exemptions for homeowners though. http://bit.ly/HmS0Q

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:20:17 +0000

I love the idea of a rain barrel. It is a true way to really save on your water bills, while still cutting back our water use.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:13:10 +0000

Thanks Kathy!

By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad

DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:01:10 +0000

This is a great approach to frugal gardening, but the use of screens cannot be emphasized enough– don’t create a mosquito farm . . .

By: Gravity Garden

Gravity Garden — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:03:14 +0000

Collecting rainwater for my bucket garden is a great way to help conserve water. I used the water to power wash my patio the other day.

I created a rain barrel using a vinyl trashcan and a few tools.
It cost about 10 bucks and is working nicely. You can take a look at my step by step pictures if interested.

http://gravitygarden.com/rainbucket/?page_id=46

Happy harvesting!

Gravity Gardener..

By: thomas

thomas — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:33:08 +0000

yeah, you got to have that screen. Rain Barrels are pricey, but they can be a very good investment. For those who do a lot of watering lawns, gardens, or washing your car, this can save a few bucks.

By: byikes

byikes — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:08:32 +0000

You do need to bring them inside over winter, but you will be amazed what a little ice will do to your new rain barrel.