Home »
Frequently Asked Questions
Rainwater Harvesting is the capture, storage, and use of rainwater for landscape irrigation and for potable and non-potable indoor use. A rainwater harvesting system comprises components of various stages - transporting rainwater through pipes or drains, filtration, and finally collection.
What are some ways I can save water?
Turn off faucet when you brush to save 3 ½ gallons of water. Take shorter showers. You can save 3 gallons for every minute. (Back in the old days, a family would reuse the same water to bathe. That made it important to be 1st in line!) Flush the toilet less frequently. Toilets use 1 ½ to 5 ½ gallons of water for every flush. For a family, that adds up to about 20 to 70 gallons per day.
An average home with a roof size of 1,000 square feet will generate approximately 600 gallons of water from a 1-inch rainfall. Collecting and using this water with rain barrels helps reduce the demand on public and private water supplies, and reduces pollution, flooding, and erosion in local waterways by reducing storm water runoff.
The water that you collect in your rain barrel can be used to water indoor and outdoor potted plants and landscaped areas, clean off gardening tools, wash your car, and for other non-potable uses.
The rain barrel is easy to install and the method varies depending on the type of barrel you purchase. It typically involves either shortening your downspout and using an elbow or section of flexible downspout if needed to direct the water into the barrel, or removing a 5 inch section of your downspout and replacing it with the diverter. Elevating the barrel on blocks will create increased flow.
Will the barrel be a source of mosquitoes?
Place a mosquito "dunk" or "donut" in the barrel to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Yes, you can. Most every barrel style allows for linking of barrels to collect more water from one downspout.
What about debris from the roof?
The majority of the pollutants found on the roof are found in the first flush of rain. Roof washers divert the first flush away from the barrel and they are widely available on the internet.
