crtwelvecats

no rain barrel , but sounds like you all would like to save on watering plants. when we lived in the desert we bought some blue tubing from lowes and clamped it on the hose that is on the washer. then ran it out to the grass and bushes, etc
and let the laundry water water it all. we just moved the hose wherever we wanted it to water. at that time it was 100 or more just to water the yard so that helped alot. if you have a septic tank it doesn't have to get so filled up just doing laundry too.

chips88

you got to be kidding the run off water does not belong to him well where does it belong who does it belong too. if its my barrel and water happens to slip in there.finders keepers loosers weepers. i am glad i live in country....

katesnanna

Isn't that ridiculous. It doesn't belong to the authority who told him to remove his rain barrel. If it belongs to anyone it belongs to God. Here in Australia last summer there was talk of the government taking water from people who had tanks. Thankfully it didn't come to that.

sailsablazin

Yes, I own a rain barrel. Bought a blue barrel (someone was using it to float their dock). My DH cut a hole for the downspout and put a faucet in the bottom with an overflow. We have lots of high peaks on the house, so the barrel fills quickly during a storm. I water my tomatoes, perennials, and inside plants. We even empty the barrel when the weather changes, and in the winter I bring in the frozen buckets and allow them to thaw--then water my plants. I love the idea of using all resources available to me.
I have seen handpainted homemade barrels for sale on e-bay--they were lovely.

alwayslearning

I like the idea of the screen. What a wonderful idea to have the full barrel! Glad to hear so many have them and are using them. So many creative people here.

quiltsmith

I use a 30-gallon plastic trash can with lid. I have used the water on everything.

Just Me...

My understanding is the same thing holds true in Colorado. One of my former employees lived there and due to regulations they weren't allowed to have any kind of water collection....

CindyA

Love the simplicity. But do you have to worry about the water getting gunky/moldy?

Monroe

I would think that if the rain barrel is used to water plants instead of filling a pool the rain is just taking a slight detour to the aquifer! Grew up using a rain barrel for washing and watering in the mountains when visiting relatives- no running water, no plumbing. As for drinking- birds and squirrels poop on the roof, and the rain brings down contaminants from industrial and vehicle exhausts, fires, wood stoves and furnaces, so I wouldn't be keen on it unless necessary. I've made a few with hose spigots- not difficult at all. Be sure to anchor and cover the barrel securely- children and pets have died from falling in or having it fall on them. A few drops of chlorine occasionally will help disinfect the water and evaporate, and reportedly a piece of copper pipe will prevent algae. My lake is treated with copper sulfate to reduce algae, and some people embed pennies in the surface of their birdbaths. My foolish SIL believed an internet site and tried to keep goldfish in hers, purportedly to eat mosquitoes and add fertilizer. Of course the poor things died from lack of oxygen and overheating. Next the same site said to add cooking oil to suffocate mosquito larvae- what a mess. Common sense is lacking at times. Be SURE to make your rain barrel from recycled Food Grade barrels- not from plastic totes or car wash barrels. There are many good free tutes on the internet for making them, and important reminders to have large enough overflow runoff hoses to lead excess water away so your foundation doesn't get undermined in a storm. There's a Lot of water coming off a roof.

wanda1962

I have a rain barrel 60 gallons I use it on all my plants and also top my small pond off. It is safer than city water on the fish and is readily available, since my pond is at the back of my property with no water source near.