Harvesting Rainwater with Rain Barrels
by Peggy Deland
According to the University of Rhode Island, using rain barrels can save a
single household up to 1,300 gallons of water each summer. While you can't drink
the water -- at least without first filtering it -- it can be used for almost
anything else. Few measures so simple can make such a dramatic contribution
towards a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle.
The most common way to harvest rainwater is to set up a chain of rain barrels to
collect runoff from your roof. Rainwater collected by gutters drains directly
into the first barrel in the chain, which then travels through short lengths of
hose to simultaneously fill several barrels. This method, while efficient,
produces water that is usually only suitable for watering grass and ornamental
plants.
You can also collect water directly by placing clean barrels outside on a rainy
day. Although you won't get a lot of water this way, it's unlikely to be
contaminated and can be used to water vegetable gardens, wash clothes, or even
bathe. Of course, if you're planning on cleaning anything with the water, you'll
need to use it before it stagnates or grows algae.
Making Rain Barrels
Commercially-produced rain barrels are readily available on the Internet; most
are made from eco-friendly or recycled materials. Of course, shipping costs for
products this large can be prohibitive, and the barrels themselves aren't
exactly cheap. Depending on where you live, you may be able to get subsidized
ready-made rain barrels at a fraction of their usual cost. But by far the most
economical choice is to make your own -- a surprisingly painless task.
Homemade rain barrels consist of a large plastic or wooden drum with a faucet
mounted near the bottom of the barrel and a screen tied to the top to prevent
debris from getting in the collected water. If you want to set up a chain of
barrels, simply add small holes near the bottoms of the barrels to snugly fit a
short length of hose. There's no need to link together rain barrels for direct
collection, but you'll want to do so if you're collecting runoff from the roof.
Safety of Harvested Rainwater
While it's generally accepted that rainwater collected directly from the sky
into clean barrels is safe for use in just about any application, experts are
divided on the safety of harvested runoff from roofs. Certainly, you should not
drink this water. It can safely be used to water your lawn, hose off your car,
and -- if it's clear and free from debris -- to wash clothes. The real question
is whether you can use rainwater collected from the roof to water a vegetable
garden.
Two main contaminants are frequently present in collected rainwater: heavy
metals and animal feces. Asphalt shingles and galvanized or copper flashing
(used to prevent moss growth) may cause lead, zinc, and other metals to leach
into water at toxic levels. And aside from the "ick" factor, animal feces often
contain parasite eggs as well as harmful pathogens. It's uncertain whether these
contaminants could create a health hazard in vegetables from a garden watered
with collected rainwater. |
|
|
|
|