The benefits of rain barrels

Rain barrels or rain water tanks make sense virtually everywhere in the world, including South Africa.  Rainwater harvesting with a rain barrel or rainwater tank has numerous benefits, as the article below points out.

Are you a gardener looking for a way to lower your summer watering bill?  Rain barrels are an easy and inexpensive way to reduce your water bill and help the environment by reducing run-off.

What is a rain barrel?

A rain barrel is a system that collects and stores rainwater from your roof that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains and streams. These rain barrels can be recycled 55 gallon drums with a vinyl hose, PVC couplings, and a screen grate to keep debris and insects out.

Why Would I Want a Rain Barrel?

• Conserve water – A half inch of rain can fill a typical 50-55 gallon rain barrel, allowing homeowners to save hundreds of gallons of water during the growing season.

• Save money and energy – Lawn and garden watering make up nearly 40% of total household water use during the summer months. This decreased demand for treated tap water not only helps protect the environment, but also saves money and energy.

• Reduce water pollution – Rain barrels reduce storm water runoff, which can contain pollutants like sediment, oil, grease, bacteria, and nutrients.

• Improve the health of your gardens, lawns, and trees by using a natural water source – Provides an ample supply of free “soft water” to homeowners, providing no chlorine, lime, or calcium making it ideal for gardens, flower beds, and car and window washing. Using harvested rain water offers a natural alternative to the chemicals and hard water that many of our municipal water systems can produce.

To teach and encourage others – You will help to spread the culture of rainwater collection and in turn, help our larger community and the environment.

Source: Quad-Cities Online