rain barrels and water collection

[CatHerder]

I would like to set up some rainbarrels for rain collection for watering around our home, and washing our cars and bikes. How dangerous is using rainwater that comes off an asphalt shingled roof?? Can it still be used for your lawn and gardens? Should it have some sort of filtration, and is it better to buy a complete kit or make your own? Thanks!:D

[gardengirl72]

CatHerder,(great name)

For the most part I don't think it is dangerous to use rain water for anything. If I was drinking it I would boil, but for any other use I think it is fine.

Personally, I am not great a plumbing, so I bought my own. The thing is, you want to have your rain barrel as high off the ground as possible so you get pressure via gravity.

Great Post and Thank You

Patti

[plantoneonme]

I did a simple set up to get us started on collecting rain water that does not require a lot of plumbing skills. We made barrells out of trash cans which cost under $20 each. Check out this link at Lowes.com for information on how to make them...we used sqare cans instead so they nestled together better.

http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Rain_Barrels_0408.aspx

The only thing I am going to change is the connection between barrells. I am going to put a stopcock on the bottom on and add a connection from the overflow in the first barrell. I'll let the overflow fill the second barrell and if the water is used up, then turn on the lower connection to allow water to flow from the first barrell (make sense???).

[AbbeyLehman]

Wow, that's a GREAT link! And I can do that SOON! I *like* PVC :) (as evidenced by other posts :) ). YAY!

[gardengirl72]

That Loews link is great. That looks way better than mine. I wanted to replace my ugly blue ones with ones made from old whisky barrells, strickly for the look, becausethe gray ones look much more efficient.

[SDTherese]

The trash cans shown in the Lowes website are not food grade trash cans, which is fine if you will only be using the water on ornamental plants. If you are going to use the water on vegetables, I would recommend using food grade trash cans. The plastic on the regular trash cans leaches a chemical into the water. I am a home winemaker and we have to use food grade trash cans for fermenting wine as well. You can buy them at a restaurant supply. They are more expensive than regular trashcans, but much cheaper the commercial rain barrels
:)

[plantoneonme]

The trash cans shown in the Lowes website are not food grade trash cans, which is fine if you will only be using the water on ornamental plants. If you are going to use the water on vegetables, I would recommend using food grade trash cans. The plastic on the regular trash cans leaches a chemical into the water. I am a home winemaker and we have to use food grade trash cans for fermenting wine as well. You can buy them at a restaurant supply. They are more expensive than regular trashcans, but much cheaper the commercial rain barrels
:)

Thank you for this information. Luckily I only have a couple and will use that water on my flower beds from now on. The rain has been taking care of the garden the past couple weeks for me now.

[gardengirl72]

I had no idea there was a food grade trash can. But more importantly, please start a new thread on how to make wine! I am dying to try it. Please, please let me us know everything you can about how to set it up. Pics, pics pics please.

Patti

[Yomolove]

I use the blue barrels that olives came overseas in... their is a company in Roslindale Ma.that sells them ...quietly. and turns them into rain barrels also.... They sell the from 80.00 up.... I think I will make my own.

[Sinfonian]

If you want food grade 55 gallon barrels, check out craigslist for your area. You can normally find them for $15 that come with spigots at the bottom. Overflow valves / connectors are easy to put together with the help of your friendly neighborhood plumbing expert at the hardware store, and mesh can be easily added. I plan on doing one or more of these next year.

[Yomolove]

Sinfonia, I looked up craigslist barrels when I started my garden and they were going for 75-80 bucks a barrel in my area... So I bought all the parts... and still havnt put it together... I am not really handy when it comes to plumbing. If I can get it for a good price its as good as done.

[Fred's Fine Fowl]

I'm fortunate enough to live near Welch's

They ship in fruit concentrate for their products. These 55 gl. food grade barrels are a problem for them to dispose of.

They are heavy walled, sealed, save for the fitting in the top, which also has a 3/4 inch threaded plug in it. Fits the 3/4" pvc fittings perfectly.

Ready? I get them in any quantity for .50 cents each
They sit out in the parking lot and anyone can come to the gate guard and pick them up, paying out only .50 cents. They are located in the town of Northeast, Pennsylvania. (if you live near, possibly worth the trip?)

If it rains 1/2 inch, I get 750 gls. from my detached garage alone... the heavy walled/sealed barrels don't get bugs in them and algae doesn't develop without sunlight getting in.

Patti mentioned water pressure? Yep.. 14.7 psi for every 32 feet of elevation... You can tap the side of the barrell and attach a hose a few inches off the bottom. There are plastic/pvc hose bibs.

Just my two cents worth here.. I would research food processors in your area and see what they do with thier cast off concentrate drums... they are normally happy just to be rid of them!

[plantoneonme]

I'm fortunate enough to live near Welch's

They ship in fruit concentrate for their products. These 55 gl. food grade barrels are a problem for them to dispose of.

They are heavy walled, sealed, save for the fitting in the top, which also has a 3/4 inch threaded plug in it. Fits the 3/4" pvc fittings perfectly.

Ready? I get them in any quantity for .50 cents each
They sit out in the parking lot and anyone can come to the gate guard and pick them up, paying out only .50 cents. They are located in the town of Northeast, Pennsylvania. (if you live near, possibly worth the trip?)

If it rains 1/2 inch, I get 750 gls. from my detached garage alone... the heavy walled/sealed barrels don't get bugs in them and algae doesn't develop without sunlight getting in.

Patti mentioned water pressure? Yep.. 14.7 psi for every 32 feet of elevation... You can tap the side of the barrell and attach a hose a few inches off the bottom. There are plastic/pvc hose bibs.

Just my two cents worth here.. I would research food processors in your area and see what they do with thier cast off concentrate drums... they are normally happy just to be rid of them!

Any idea how much it would cost to ship these? I see sites selling them all the time...you may be able to make a few bucks by selling rain barrels. Kim

[Yomolove]

Yes, Id love to have some shipped

[Sinfonian]

Here in the PNW, they sell for $15ish. Not bad if you only need one or two I guess, but $0.50, unreal. A bit of a drive though. Probably more than $14.50 in gas. hehe Thanks for the info.