February 2008

How are those rain barrels working out for you?

Rain barrels are a hot topic lately on green blogs and email groups, finally gaining momentum here after decades of widespread acceptance in much of Europe. Their greatest benefit is in reducing stormwater runoff into our local watershed and finally the Chesapeake Bay, which means less pollution and sedimentation there. With climate change bringing longer droughts and more downpours, the runoff problem is only getting worse. What’s more, rain barrels reduce our dependence on municipal water supplies and thus lower household water bills, but is it enough to make much difference?

Well, the DC Urban Gardeners recently polled several local Yahoo groups and the readers of local and national green blogs to gather real-life reports of experiences with rain barrels. We even asked the provocative question: “Can one or even two 55-gallon barrels really make a difference, or are they mainly feel-good items?” as one expert had suggested to us.

One- or two-barrel systems. It turns out that rain barrels do save on water bills, but only a little. Typical was a user in Montgomery County who told us his 110-gallon system had saved only $35 over the course of the summer. People use these small systems primarily to fill a watering can a few times a week or to “top off my container pond”. Typical was this comment: “Two rain barrels can’t hold enough water to get us through the dry summer months. I’d really love to have a cistern one day.” With an inch of rain dumping 500 gallons of water on the roof of a typical 2,000 square foot house, one or two 55-gallon rain barrels are indeed just a start. It’s also essential to have an overflow system; otherwise all that extra water gets deposited at the foundation of your house. Overflow can be diverted to the traditional stormwater route or into a moisture-tolerant part of the garden.

Without a way to hold more water, the best way to save on your water bill, according to one savvy garden designer, is by switching to drought-tolerant plants. Amen. (Though from the perspective of our waterways, every little bit helps.)

Serious systems. If you’re really serious about rain harvesting, you might invest in a 450-gallon underground barrel or cistern, which costs about $600 including a pump. Or you could do what many respondents told us they do and chain 8 to10 barrels together with connecting pipe. That way you can use barrels made from recycled materials, which are only available in 55-gallon sizes or smaller. One reader in Wisconsin wrote, “I have five 55-gallon oak rain barrels on our property. For all but the summer drought, it supplies all my irrigation needs when combined with xeriscaping and deep mulch techniques.” So he’s saving money but still relying on the water company during droughts, even with his 275-gallon system.

For serious rain harvesters on a budget, this comment from Pennsylvania sounds promising: “My husband and I built a rain barrel system that holds about 500 gallons. It was simple and cheap! The whole thing cost under $200, and it provided water all summer. We never once had to turn to the well.” (How/d they do that? Details are on their blog:

No matter what size system you use, it won’t produce the kind of water pressure you’re accustomed to having at the end of a garden hose. It’s fine for soaker hoses, though, which happen to be the best way to water. But to produce any flow at all the barrels must be installed high enough to create gravity, and the spigot needs to be really close to the bottom of the barrel.

Problems to avoid. Overall, rain barrel owners reported being happy with their systems but emphasized that research must be done in order to avoid some common problems, which several of them had actually experienced. Mosquitos are of concern to everyone and most rain barrels come with wire mesh screens or other devices for preventing their breeding. One user reported that racoons repeatedly removed her debris screen, so she relies on mosquito dunks to do the job.

Then there’s the basic problem of leaks, which can be experienced by users of both homemade barrels and some purchased ones, especially from online sources. So instructions really have to be followed carefully; otherwise expect leaks. And don’t forget freezing. Most systems have to be emptied for the winter, but diverters that restore the usual rain path down the downspout help make that an easy job.

Safe for edibles? If your roof is slate or metal, the collected water will be soft, chlorine-free and excellent for plants of all types. Sadly, water falling from asphalt roofs may be too polluted to use on foodstuffs or certainly to drink because of pollutants in the petroleum-based asphalt itself. There’s a way around it, though: “All it takes is one inch of rainfall to fill my barrels. So if I just wait to collect the water from the tail-end of a heavy late spring storm, I’m set,” wrote one blog reader. We also heard this from a chemist: “I feel pretty comfortable taking my chances with vegetables from my own garden watered with rainwater collected off my roof.” And a reader in Austin told us she uses rain barrel water from an asphalt shingle roof to fill her pond, and her fish haven’t complained yet.

Local sources: Most customers recommend buying locally, which will save on hefty shipping costs (about $50 each), and making sure there’s a warranty. Several suggested using Gaithersburg-based Aqua Barrel, which uses recycled materials and sells parts or whole kits by mail or at retail sites like Amicus Green in Kensington, where their 55-gallon units sell for $100 each. Full service is also available and was recommended by a reader reporting “no leaks, no mosquito problems, superhuge overflow.” See Aquabarrel.com for good information on the subject, including a video introduction.

Mail order sources: Gardeners Supply (Gardeners.com) sells 75-gallon barrels for $135 each, not counting shipping, but a customer in DC told us that her Gardeners Supply rain barrel froze and cracked. Toronto’s RiverSides Program sells 132-gallon barrels that are designed to withstand freezing and prevent mosquitos. They cost $225 each, though lower rates are available for large orders. SpruceCreekRainSaver.com in Pennsylvania sells 54-gallon barrels for $155 plus $45 shipping and their systems have these essential features: automatic overflow and a five-year warranty, including against freezing. RainwaterSolutions.com in Raleigh, NC sells 65, 100 and 200-gallon barrels for $180, $320 and $400 respectively, plus shipping. Ouch!

Build Your Own: Montgomery County is conducting build-it-yourself workshops April 18 and 19 at Brookside Gardens. And in Takoma Park, Public Works and the Committee on the Environment are holding their workshop in May. Last year their barrels only cost $35, “plus some DIY,” but I’m told they need volunteers to make it all happen.

For the really handy: the Arlington Echo program near Annapolis sells assemble-it-yourself barrels made out of old Coke syrup containers. 55-gallon barrels cost $50 each plus $14 for attachments. Www.Arlingtonecho.net/rainbarrel.htm has lots of instructions with photos.

Online: Google “build rain barrel” for build-your-own instructions by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, HGTV, and Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Or check those instructions on the FutureHouseFarm blog.

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