Collecting rainwater and reusing it is a time-honored and cost-saving tradition that saw diminished practice with the advent of widespread municipal utilities. Yet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that a typical household can save 1,300 gallons of water each summer by collecting rainwater in a rain barrel and using it for routine chores. You can redirect rainwater that you don't use through a hose that drains into an area of your yard or property that will absorb and filter the water before returning it to the watershed.
Step 1
Connect a garden hose to your rain-barrel spigot to wash your car, lawn furniture and windows. Hose down your deck and water your flower garden with rainwater collected in your rain barrel.
Step 2
Water your lawn with water from your rain barrel. You can also use collected rainwater to add water to your swimming pool. Use rainwater to water your houseplants and wash your floors, walls and appliances.
Step 3
Attach a soaker hose to your rain-barrel spigot to water garden vegetables. Avoid getting rain-barrel water directly on fruits and vegetables because the water may contain contaminants from your roof that could contaminate your vegetables.
Step 4
Fill buckets with rain-barrel water to fill up your washing machine tub. You can safely wash and rinse clothes with collected rainwater, which is naturally soft water.
Tips and Warnings
- Be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables well in drinking water before you eat them, This will remove any potential bacteria or residue that may have splashed onto them from your rain-barrel water. To increase the water pressure in a hose connected to your rain barrel, raise your rain barrel up a few feet using blocks or a sturdy platform. According to Doug Pushard of HarvestH2O.com, every foot you raise the rain barrel increases the water pressure by 0.433 psi.
- Don't use rain-barrel water to wash your food in the garden. Always use water-purification tablets to treat collected rainwater that you may use in an emergency.
Things You'll Need
- Rain barrel with spigot
- Garden hose
- Soaker hose
- Buckets
- Watering can
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