I've always wanted a rain barrel. I've seen plans to build them (read my previous posting on my favorite magazines) but they were a bit complex for my engineering-starved brain. I've seen ads to buy them but they were very cost-prohibitive.
Imagine my excitement when I saw an ad last month that our local Soil and Water Conservation District was going to be offering them pre-made for $20 to city residents. I was overjoyed. Yes, it takes little to please me.
Our rain barrel arrived a few weeks ago and Nate installed it last weekend, just in time for our big rainfall. It's awesome. It is made from a recycled food-quality plastic barrel with a secured lid on top that has a hole with permanent screening to keep mosquitoes from laying eggs and also to keep leaves and other debris out. It has two overflow areas and a spigot with an on/off switch to which a hose can be connected.
Nate had to saw a portion of our downspout off.
The kids think it's great and Evan seems to think it's fun to turn it on and off. We'll have to install a hose to it soon so he quits wasting the water. The rainwater is intended to water our garden this spring and summer.
Here's a bit more about how rain barrels work at wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainwater_tank .
Wow, how cool is that! I've got to get one for us!
ReplyDelete(Oh, on Saba, all the water barrels, even the ones used for drinking water, have little guppies in them to kill mosquito larvae. Cool idea!)
Those are nice! Are they still available?
ReplyDeleteYou can contact the Soil & Water Conservation District, but I think it was a one-shot deal. Call just in case, though. Perhaps they'll sell them again next year if they're no longer available now.
ReplyDeleteI love that you love yours...wonder where MINE is. I know we bought one...haha! They had such a good response they might get more of them.
ReplyDeleterachel...GROSS idea!