Rain Barrels

Kat Stratton, Master Gardener, Wildlife Habitat Steward, and Director of Georgia’s Cedar Hill Enrichment Center, teaches people how to build rain barrels. (Mary Silver/The Epoch Times)

Water—we tend to take it for granted; only really understanding how important it is when it’s not readily available. With so many areas in drought or facing water difficulties; we all need to do our bit to conserve this precious liquid.

So much energy and so many resources go into getting water into our homes—sometimes it’s piped hundreds of miles from river systems that really can’t cope with the massive draw, then it needs to be treated. It’s much more than just about the water itself; especially given we consume and waste so much of it.

The Humble Rain Barrel

One of the solutions to saving the amount of water we consume from mains supply is right above many of our heads—the roof.

Holding usually around 55 gallons, rain barrels can cost under a hundred dollars including the diverter. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the purely functional to ornate. Some people even use wheelie bins for a mobile solution!

A Simple Rain Barrel Installation

Rain barrels don’t require complex plumbing; a simple diverter can be used on the downpipe which can be easily installed by most people with the help of a hacksaw. More efficient diverters also shut off when the barrel is full to prevent storm water overflowing into your yard.

A 55 gallon barrel may not sound like a lot, but bear in mind it’s constantly being refilled. If you’re in an area with significant rainfall, you could be emptying and having it refilled each week, courtesy of Mother Nature rather than your local water utility:

52 weeks x 55 gallon barrel=2860 gallons (nearly 11,000 liters)

That’s 2860 gallons less you‘ll be drawing off the water main supply annually. If thousands of others did the same, it really starts adding up. Even in dryer climates, you’d be surprised how much water you can harvest.

Buy a Rain Barrel or Make Your Own

Rain barrels are usually made from food grade plastic and are readily available from many larger hardware stores. You'll also find many merchants selling them over the Internet.

As mentioned, some people use all sorts of containers; but a word of warning—use a plastic that’s not going to leach nasty chemicals into the water which could wind up in your garden.

Be Prepared

Even if not for the environmental aspect, a rain barrel is an excellent investment in disaster preparedness. For example, what would you do if your water was suddenly shut off? You could buy it from the local store, but you'll be battling many others with the same idea. In that scenario, a rain barrel could be the best hundred dollars you’ve ever spent. There’s nothing like a bit of self-sufficiency given the bumpy road we face!

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