Anyone doing rainwater collection?

[SVOboy]

I wonder about it...I want to pick up a huge 55 gallon drum...it seems like you can get them for 5 bucks from various places...any one know where I should try?

Also seems good for the SVO users.

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Just make sure you either have rights to it, or are discreet about it.

[SVOboy]

One site said they got them for 5 dollars each from pepsi...seems like enough of a steal to me already...

[SVOboy]

I'm thinking garden water for now...in the future I'd like to do something like this: http://ersson.sustainabilitylane.com/rainwatr.htm

[Bill in Houston]

You would definitely want to use plastic, I think. I like the idea a lot.

If you wanted to really jazz it up, a small 12v battery, a solar panel, and a small 12v bilge pump would be sweet. But maybe that technology steals the simple beauty of a rain barrel.

Not sure where you would put the barrel, but remember that when full it will weigh about 500 lbs.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by Bill in Houston

You would definitely want to use plastic, I think. I like the idea a lot.

If you wanted to really jazz it up, a small 12v battery, a solar panel, and a small 12v bilge pump would be sweet. But maybe that technology steals the simple beauty of a rain barrel.

Not sure where you would put the barrel, but remember that when full it will weigh about 500 lbs.

I like this idea quite a lot -- the city had plans for them at the Home Show last year. We have really crappy grass that needs watering to survive (plus I don't plan on using fertilizer unless it's easy on the evirons). On top of that, there are some drainage issues in the back (pooling). Reducing the need to use treated water to dump on the lawn seems like a great idea.

I picture something like this: 55-gallon drum or 2 in the basement - Roof water and/or sump water could drain into the tank - design an overflow for safety - and rig up a pump/power supply, ideally solar.

-Rick

[popimp]

That's a good idea. In Japan the Tokyo Metro (city hall or to the japanese Tocho) building's yard was inverted to catch rain water used for flushing toilets and watering plants.

[SVOboy]

That's pretty cool...I was thinking of suggesting it to you since you're so up with water conservation.

[Hockey4mnhs]

yeah we do it to water our garden. its amazing how fast it fills up

[JanGeo]

Keep in mind what happens when water freezes - and what you roof may leach into the water. Also elevate the tank up to the gutter and you have gravity feed - no pump needed.