Conserving Water with a Rain Barrel

A rain barrel is a simple, low tech way to conserve impressive amounts of water. All you need is a container of the right size, a rain spout, and a spigot. Good rainfall also helps, but even in the desert, the amount of rain a storm produces can fill a 100 gallon rain barrel quickly. If you have wondered whether a rain barrel would be a good investment for your house, here are the answers to a few questions you may have thought of.
What benefits can rain barrels offer me?
In addition to providing a free and self replenishing source of water, barrels also reduce the amount of water settling around your houses foundation, reducing long term structural damage.
What is the best size for a rain barrel?
For a single family home, 55 to 100 gallons is a good size for a starter rain barrel. Many people find that once they get used to using rainwater, they need larger tanks, or start stringing together multiple 100 gallon barrels. If you own a large building, such as a business or an apartment building, you may find that you can use an even larger tank; many public buildings and schools have rainwater collection tanks that can hold 2,000, 5,000, or even 15,000 gallons.
What kind of containers are acceptable as rain barrels?
Any opaque and relatively nonporous material, from wood to metal to plastic, is suitable for a barrel. If you adapt a container instead of buying a commercial rain barrel, make sure the material will not leak chemicals into your water supply. For example, adapting an ornamental copper pot is a bad idea, no matter how attractive it would be, because copper verdigris is deadly at trace doses. Some people also believe that because certain plastics exude chemicals under certain conditions, plastic barrels are not advisable. If you do choose to buy a plastic barrel, pick a barrel made of food grade plastic.
The pollution in my area makes the rainwater undrinkable. Is a rain barrel still a good idea?
Yes. Even if the local rainwater is undrinkable, you can still put it to a number of uses. Lawn grass is a water intensive plant, and nurturing it is a considerable drain on any regions water supply, so watering your lawn from a barrel is an excellent way to enjoy a lawn without wasting potable water. Car washing does not need water that is clean enough to drink. You can also water houseplants and wash floors with collected rainwater. And, of course, the classic use for rainwater is as flushwater for a green toilet system.

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