Water is one resource that none of us can do without. And for those of us living in an area where rainfall is scarce throughout the year, finding ways to harvest rainwater is a good way to start a “green” home program. To help, rain barrels are the perfect solution. Simple and efficient, they can help you save water for a not-so-rainy day in the future.
Designed to capture rainwater runoff from rooftops, rain barrels are typically placed under residential gutter-down spouts. The barrel’s purpose is to conserve water, so that it may be reused at a later time. Having rain barrels will help with self-sufficiency, as well as reduce one’s environmental impact. For economic reasons too, rain barrels should prove a good long-term investment.
Homeowners can either buy ready-made rain barrels or construct them from scratch. Smaller barrels for garden and lawn use are usually made out of food-storage barrels or for aesthetics purposes, wine or wood-grain barrels. Regardless, any rain barrel should have a spigot at the bottom for easy water retrieval or to attach a hose to. Drums tend to be 55 gallons for residential use.
Such barrels are a simple solution to water conservation and sustainable living. The water can be used for watering the lawn, maintaining the garden, or washing the car during summer months. If properly protected, the water from a rain barrel is perfectly safe to use. In fact, rainwater is “soft water,” meaning the water collected is without chlorine, lime, or calcium.
For drinking, rainwater usually isn’t potable enough – unless a filtration system is implemented; and for residential use, this usually is not the case. However, any harvested rainwater should be protected from debris or insects. If building your own rain barrel, be sure to add a protective screen to the top in order to prevent leaves, dirt, or even breeding mosquitoes from landing in your water.
Lastly, rain barrels help lower the need for domestic water use. Energy and water bills are a fact of life, but they needn’t be so high. With a few workarounds via rain barrels or cisterns, you can lower those bills and also have a positive impact on your immediate environment. Indeed, diverting water from storm drains means reducing stream runoff. In short, saving water for a “dry” day means savings overall – both for your pocketbook and the planet.
Remember this: Rainwater is always free.
###
Loading ...