Harvesting Rainwater

A Simple System Can Help Cut the Water Bill

Harvesting rainwater, even in areas with little rainfall can be of great benefit. By diverting or collecting rainwater you can:

• reduce water usage and bills
• reduce demand on municipal water supply
• reduce flooding and erosion on your property

In many areas, landscape irrigation accounts for up to 50% of the total water used!

Rainwater is beneficial to plants because it is free of salts and other minerals that can build up and reduce soil fertility.

Harvest Rainwater by Controlling Flow

• Create moats around trees and other vegetation to catch and hold water.
• use berms and channels from low lying areas to channel water where it is needed.
• create berms around areas that receive diverted water to keep it from running off.
• create grades of 1/4" per foot to direct water where it is needed.

How to deal with gutter downspouts

A great deal of water can come from a gutter downspout. Here are some ideas for harvesting that water:

• Divert water using extended gutter pieces, hoses, or channels to areas that need it.
• A large chain hung from the end of a downspout to the ground slows down the water and keeps it from eroding the ground. Remove under freezing conditions.
• Use a rain barrel or other container to catch and store water.

photo courtesy of

aquabarreldotcom

Using Rain Barrels

• secure the top with screen or use a lid.
• raise the barrel off the ground 3-6 inches.
• connect several barrels using spigots and PVC pipe.
• if your barrel doesn't have a spigot, siphon with a hose

Keep the barrel covered

Placing a screen over the top of the rain barrel serves 2 purposes. One is to filter the water as it enters the barrel.

The other is to keep debris such as leaves out of the barrel. It will keep mosquitoes from breeding, and birds and squirrels from falling in and drowning.

Another way to deal with mosquitoes is to put a few goldfish in the barrel. They love mosquito larvae. This works in horse troughs and other places where water sits and mosquitoes lay eggs.

Mosquito dunks to control larvae are also available.

Raise the rain barrel off the ground

Raising the barrel off the ground creates gravity flow. This means that the weight of the water will provide the pressure needed to move water through hoses and pipes.

If your barrel has a spigot on the bottom, a hose can be attached there. If not, place one end of the hose inside the barrel, and suck on the other end until the water flows.

Connect several barrels

If your barrel has a spigot on the bottom, it can be used to connect multiple barrels. Connect spigot to spigot using lengths of hose or PVC pipe. Connect the last spigot to the hose used for watering (or irrigation pipe) and multiple barrels can be used at the same time.

A rain barrel can be made from a trash can. Be aware that this type of plastic doesn't weather well, especially in freezing temperatures.

Harvesting rainwater, even just a little, can create great benefit.

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