

Living Green: Rain barrels

Photo: © Santa.

Rain, Rain, Come Today

…and fall into my rain barrel for another day

By Cari Scribner/Life@Home

With the growing concern about the Earth’s rapidly depleting water sources, it’s hard to believe most people don’t take advantage of the safe, readily available, free water source that’s literally right over their heads: rainwater.

When I was a child, my immigrant grandparents always had an enormous wooden rain barrel set beneath the slope of their roof out back near the smokehouse, where they also made their own sausage. My sisters and I believed the barrel contained fish and often sloshed our hands through the water to investigate. I remember how soft the rain felt, and that it was clear, even in the dark wooden barrel. A tiny leak in the barrel spouted a thin trickle of water on a patch of grass nearby. The grass there was always lush and green. My grandmother used a small pail to carry the water to her nearby garden, where tomatoes, peppers and all kinds of squash always thrived.

Today, most people are connected to municipal water sources or individual wells, and have accessible water at the turn of a faucet. This can give the illusion that water will always be available. In the midst of a heat-infused summer in the Northeast, municipalities sometimes institute water control measures, banning or limiting residents from washing their cars or watering lawns for a short period of time. When the restrictions are lifted, though, we return to our reliance on our beloved gardening hose. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Harvesting rainwater is one of the simplest recycling techniques around. Rainwater harvesting is a technology used to collect and store rain from relatively clean surfaces such as a roof, which has built-in gutters that serve as funnels for the water. Left on its own, rain flows into a drainage system or into the ground. In the case of my house, rain brings puddles that seep into the ground, then flow into my basement. Even my sump pump can’t often handle the deluge, and I end up using a Shop-Vac to vacuum up the water. Clearly, I’m a prime candidate for harvesting rainwater.

Collection units have come a long way from the old wooden rain barrels my grandparents used. Before buying a rain barrel, do some research and see what fits your water needs, taking into account the size of your roof. Tanks can hold 50 to 1,000 gallons or more, and can be made of cement, metal, ceramic, wood or recycled plastic.

Chris Estrada is owner of Saratoga Organic and Hydroponic Supplies in Ballston Spa, and a newly-opened store in Glens Fall. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using organic nutrients and solutions in water, without soil. The store also carries an enormous array of eco-friendly items, including organic pest control products for lawn and garden, non-toxic household cleaners, composting tools, and everything you’d need to build your own backyard greenhouse.

While Estrada doesn’t have store space to stock rain collection units, he does order them by customer request. He’s a big fan of recycling water. At his own home, he uses a 50-gallon recycled plastic drum to save rainwater flowing from his gutters.

“I’ve done it for a couple years now, and I can say it’s amazing how fast it fills up,” Estrada says. “In a heavy rain, it starts to overflow within minutes.”

Estrada uses the rainwater for his garden, either by dipping in a watering can or siphoning it off with a hose directly into the garden. “It just makes sense to do this,” Estrada says.

Here’s the rundown on rainwater:

• Rainwater is far softer than groundwater, due to fewer dissolved solids.

• It’s also cleaner than surface or groundwater aquifers because it contains fewer chemicals. However, rainwater is not recommended for drinking or food preparation unless it’s treated, usually with chlorine.

• Rainwater is great for use in the garden, which accounts for as much as 30 percent of a typical household’s water usage, followed by the bathroom, toilet, laundry room and kitchen.

• Aside from slowing the stream of water into wet basements, collecting rainwater also helps limit storm water runoff into the watershed. When rain soaks through the ground, it can be polluted by chemicals used on roads, lawns, etc.

Rain Barrel Tips

• Maintain and inspect your roof and gutters on a regular timetable, at least once every six months. Clean out any debris or leaves in gutters to ensure a steady flow of rain into your collection bin.

• Remember, there are several downspouts from your gutters, and you can place a collection barrel beneath all of them.

• If you’re concerned about dirt or bird droppings on your roof, you can install a device that will divert the first flush of rainwater, essentially rinsing the roof and gutters before rain is collected.

• Place the collection unit away from trees, if possible, or place a mesh screen over the top of the barrel to keep out the worst of the leaves.

• Empty the tank regularly so it doesn’t remain stagnant and attract insects or mosquitoes.

• Always keep children and animals away from the collection unit.

• Drain the unit down to the bottom regularly and check the barrel inside and out for anything that might clog it.

Rebecca Isenhart