Collecting Rain Water - Come on Rain!

newbeone 3/20/2017, 3:39 am

Finally finished, The Gutters are up ( Feet are sore, not used to working on a ladder anymore,) Ready to collect some rain water, will be using 32 gal. plastic trash cans for storage for a while, I know there not the greatest will be replacing them with 55 gal barrels when I can. I have three on each side of the house I plumbed them all together and as my yard slopes down towards my garden, I have a container tied in with a float so I can fill my water can to water the garden. I placed a shut off valve so I could isolate the first two on each side so I could fill them with tap water when it doesn't rain then let them set for a few days a let the sun pull the chlorine out before use. Come on Rain!

SwampTroll 7/2/2017, 3:07 pm

This got me thinking:

Next year we plan on replacing our aging shed. While we have not decided yet what we're replacing it with, I have been thinking about putting gutters on the shed, leading to a rain barrel. I don't think I can convince my wife to allow me to place one on the house, so this would be my compromise.

Probably won't fill up nearly as fast as it would if connected to the house, but some is better than none, right?

newbeone 7/2/2017, 4:57 pm

Every little bit helps, And I bet you get more rain there than I do down here.
Best of luck to You and Your's

has55 7/3/2017, 7:29 pm

newbeone wrote:Every little bit helps, And I bet you get more rain there than I do down here.
Best of luck to You and Your's

awesome project. exciting. keep us updated.

**sanderson** 7/4/2017, 3:16 am

Swamp. I think most of them have a valve so that the first cleansing rain flows to waste. Then turn the valve for collecting clean runoff.

has55 7/4/2017, 11:16 am

is freezing an issue being up north?

**sanderson** 7/4/2017, 1:05 pm

Being in southern latitudes, I hadn't thought about freezing. Drain the containers and pipes when the garden hoses are drained. ??

SwampTroll 7/6/2017, 3:59 pm

sanderson wrote:Being in southern latitudes, I hadn't thought about freezing. Drain the containers and pipes when the garden hoses are drained. ??

has55 wrote:is freezing an issue being up north?

It shouldn't be an issue until October/November.

By that time my garden will mostly likely be prepped and ready for it's winter rest. I'll probably put a layer of compost and mulch on top before the snow falls. As well as having everything drained and put away that is.

NAR56 7/6/2017, 4:14 pm

Hello All! I use an IBC tote (275 gal) connected to the down spout of the house gutters. I have never had an issue with freezing over the winter. in the last 5 years. I just make sure that it is not full before a freeze so it can expand if needed.

This year I added another 275 gal tote giving me 550 gal total. Last year it was dry and I drained my tote a few times watering. So far this year, we have had a lot of rain so I have not watered as much.

I can tell you that plants love rain water over city water. I find they thrive and produce more with rain water.

Ryan

**sanderson** 7/7/2017, 2:29 am

NAR56 wrote:Hello All! I use an IBC tote (275 gal) connected to the down spout of the house gutters. I have never had an issue with freezing over the winter. in the last 5 years.

I can't imagine it freezing in Louisiana. Shocked

**sanderson** 11/27/2018, 11:27 pm

I came across this site regarding harvesting rain water state by state. http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/rainwater-harvesting.aspx

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