Use of rain barrels in rain water harvesting

Rain barrels are containers used to collect as well as store rain water for later use. Rain water collected by these barrels have a number of uses ranging from gardening, washing cars, in washing machines, etc. In times when drinking water is unavailable or expensive, water collected through rain barrels can be used for drinking purposes after proper filtration and cleansing. The rain water collected through these barrels would otherwise be lost to run offs and diverted to storm drains and streams. With the use of rain barrels not only would you be conserving the environment but also saving your money.

A rain barrel is a 20 to 100 Gallon Tank, a vinyl hose, PVC couplings and a screen to keep insects and other debris out. It has to be kept in a convenient location under a gutter where the rain Water can be drained into it easily.

A rain barrel can be bought in the market where it is easily available. A rain barrel with easy and minimal installation is suitable and preferable for people lacking required technical skills. Due to various designs, brands, material used and capacity the price of a rain barrel is varied. It is advisable to check out various models which are available in the market or through gardening catalogues before ordering it. Use of different materials such as wood or plastic etc would alter the cost substantially. Heavy duty material is preferable for longer life as well as efficiency though the price might be higher. The existence of online sellers increases easy availability of rain barrels. The average price of rain barrels ranges from $100 to $350.

The given efficiency of rain barrels ranges from 70 to 90%. In an area of 1000 sq feet, for every inch of rain, 600 gallons of water can be collected which can be used for a number of functions while saving money on water bills. Rain barrels have to be positioned carefully for increased efficiency. Easy transferability of the water is important and should be considered while placing it. The placement of an overflow pipe is important and should be diverted away from the building during heavy rain.

In today's world where conservation of the environment and natural resources is the talk of the town, harvesting rain water through rain barrels is a grass root level plan for water conservation. The water if not conserved would be wasted in run offs (which also causes river, stream etc. pollution), is used for various purposes which accounts for a large part of the water usage by a household. The use of these rain barrels would reduce pressure on the water table and tap water supply. Rain water is considered more beneficial for gardening purposes as well as it does not contain chemicals found in regular water supply.

It is observable that a rain barrel requires more than just a barrel for functioning. Analyzing and estimating cost for constructing a rain barrel, it would be around $120 while purchasing the same off the market would set you back by around $200. Comparing the efficiency of a professionally made barrel with a homemade one would be imprudent as the increased efficiency of a purchased barrel would be obvious. There could be problems in making of a barrel by hand which could decrease efficiency. Also, after factoring the cost of tools required for constructing a barrel the cost increases and thus it can be settled that purchasing an easily available barrel is beneficial. It is easily settled that purchasing rain barrels over constructing one is favorable.