Fiskars Rain Water Collection Systems Mentioned on the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Website
Build Your Own Rain Barrel
By Laura Beitman
There are several benefits to using a rain barrel at home. You can save water by leaving the hose off. You can save money
and slow stormwater runoff.
And by doing this, you can help prevent pollution, lower the
stress on local streams. While ready-made rain barrels are a great tool, residents can build their own for about $20 with a few materials from a hardware store and a few simple steps, says longtime garden expert Sally McCabe, a project coordinator at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. At a time when food and energy prices are increasing nationwide and the heat of summer is upon us, conservation techniques are more important than ever.
Containers
At its simplest, a rain barrel can be an open container placed in the yard, says McCabe, who puts buckets under spots where water pours off the roof of her 100-year-old home. However, open containers with standing water are a no-no when it comes to mosquitoes so she uses the water in the garden that day or the next morning [more on mosquito prevention below]. To construct a rain barrel, McCabe recommends using a 55-gallon plastic drum. A large plastic garbage pail can be used instead, but a durable drum will last for decades. Make sure the drum is a “food-grade” barrel, meaning it contained food stuff like mango puree and not any kind of chemical. Barrels may be found on Craigslist.com or bought from food companies and manufacturers.
Construction
Use a power drill to drill a hole toward the bottom of the barrel. A 15th/16th spade bit will create a nice hole for a ¾- inch plastic or brass faucet. Make sure the hole is high enough to allow gravity to let water flow from the barrel. Drill a second hole near the top of the barrel if you think you will be connecting to a second barrel or “overlow” container. Screw the faucet in with your hand. The faucet should be no more than $5. A washer hose, which is about $1.70 a foot, can be used to connect to a second barrel or “overflow” container. For a barrel with a lid, use a jigsaw to drill a hole large enough to fit the bottom of a drain spout.
Mosquito prevention
It takes just three days for mosquito larvae to be laid, hatch and then take flight, so prevent standing water. Barrels and holes in containers can be covered with nylon replacement window screen (about $5) and secured with a bungee cord ($1.99).
But even with screens, mosquitoes can find their way in the smallest holes, so McCabe recommends using BT, a digestive bacteria, once every 30 days, for the cleanest and easiest way to prevent mosquitoes. BT or Mosquito Dunk costs about $12 a package. Screens can also be punctured by animals.“For some reason, my cats think lying on this screen is the greatest thing in the world,” McCabe says.
Hookup
Place the barrel under a drain spout. Elevating the barrel on cinder blocks will help with flow. It’s important to put the barrel in a place that will be accessible to the garden. Connect a garden hose to the faucet. Remember, the runoff water is great for the garden and even a car wash, but should not be used for drinking.
Multiple barrels
For McCabe’s 100-square-foot yard, she uses several barrels, including one that collects water directly from a shed near the back of the yard. Even going without rain for four weeks last summer, she only turned the hose on once before leaving for a vacation.
Maintenance
Clean and rinse out your barrels once a year and make sure to empty them in the winter so they don’t freeze (or explode from ice buildup).
Good idea
Rain barrels are not only good for the garden, lawn, and street trees, but by temporarily holding off stormwater runoff, they reduce overflow to creeks and rivers and decreases pollution. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the average American uses between 80 to 100 gallons of water a day. The average 8.2-minute shower uses 20 gallons of water! Conserving resources sounds like a good idea to new homeowners and West Philadelphia residents Angela and Gabriel Sim-Larame. “We’ve always watered by the hose,” says Angela. “We’re just trying to be more environmentally aware.”
Resources
- Area rain barrel workshops are often held by watershed. To learn which watershed you live in, go to the Philadelphia Water Department’s Office of Watershed at www.phillyriverinfo.org.
For information on ready-made rain barrels:
- Spruce Creek Rainsavers www.sprucecreekrainsaver.com.
- Fiskars Rainwater Collection www.fiskars.com
