Tips on Safely Harvesting the Rain

In the US, ‘rain barrels’ are very popular but we recommend more substantial water tanks in South Africa, allowing useful quantities of rainwater to be captured and stored. The tips below are important to keep in mind when collecting rainwater for domestic use.

• Make sure any  plastic or polyethylene rain water tanks are food-grade quality. Water tanks can also be made from old oak whiskey barrels or new garbage cans. Check your local authority for premade, recycled (often subsidized) barrels on hand or for workshops in building your own.

• Cover and screen the rainwater tank from insects and any roof debris.

• Install securely to make them child-proof. Often propped up above the ground to prevent water from pooling below, rain barrels can be a hazard if they tip over. Keep them closed, to prevent young children from deciding to take a swim in them, with potentially disastrous consequences. Strap to the building wall and set on a level surface. Raise up on concrete blocks to get better water pressure.

• Don’t drink rain-barrel water unless filtered. People living in places with persistent drought sometimes depend on rainwater but must install filters (such as reverse-osmosis). Rain-barrel companies often sell them with labels clearly indicating they’re for “non-potable water” uses only.

• Can vegetables, fruits and food gardens fed with rain-barrel water safely be eaten? The jury is out. If people insist on using rain-barrel water on fruits and vegetables, they should at least rinse them with filtered water.

• Check your roofing materials; metal and stainless steel are best. Don’t use zinc strips on your roof.

• If you don’t like the look of standard rain barrels or water tanks, you can decorate them, paint them, or surround them in ivy and potted plants. Try spray-painting silhouettes of native leaves and branches.

Source: Popular Mechanics

JoJo water tanks are made from food grade material and are lined with an FDA-approved inner lining that inhibits algae growth and keeps stored water fresher for longer; click on the links below to view the wide range of JoJo Tanks products available in South Africa.

JoJo Tanks South Africa offer a wide range of products such as plastic water tanks and chemical tanks to suit every household, business or agricultural need, including silo tanks and silo tank stands as well as other high quality JoJo Tanks products.  See JoJo Tanks’ VERTICAL TANKS, HORIZONTAL TANKS (transporter tanks), STEEL TANK STANDS and OTHER JOJO PRODUCTS and see JoJo Tanks’ NEW 6000 LITRE UNDERGROUND TANKS. Also see our FAQ and WATER TANK PRICES.