This project (like many) was devised in order to solve a problem.
I had begun to observe with my indoor plants – yellowing of the leaves. Researching the issue I discovered the proper term was chlorosis, and that the pH of my tap water was likely to blame.
I learned a lot about what minerals are added to city tap water and how that can affect the health of my plants. I learned that pH values between 5.0 and 6.5 are ideal for the root environment of soil potted plants, and that adverse effects will be more likely with values lower than 4 and higher than 8.
I purchased a pH test kit and compared the tap water to the rainwater from a recent rain storm. The results confirmed that my tap water was indeed elevated at around 8.5 while the rain water was a more idyllic 6.0.
With this information I began to draw up plans to build a rain harvesting system.
Supplies Needed
Using a local classifieds website I sourced three HDPE (High Density Poly Ethylene) 55 gallon barrels which would resist UV rays and slow the growth of algae. These ones had been used in the manufacturing of shampoo and were therefore free of any harsh chemicals that would cause further damage to my plants.
Related: Why You Need To Hide Your Harvested Rainwater
Using the long extension of my pressure washer made quick and efficient work of cleaning out the barrels. These barrels have a buttress thread, and required a special adapter found online to connect it to the common ABS fittings I could purchase from my local hardware store. Here is a complete list of my supplies:
- 55gallon HDPE barrel (x3)
- Buttress Thread Adapter to 2″ NPT Male (x6)
- 2 in. ABS DWV male adapter (6x)
- 2” ABS long 90 degree elbow (x5) + 2” ABS short 90 degree elbow (x1)
- 2” ABS WYE or Tee fitting (x1) + 2” x 4” ABS Coupler (x1)
- 2” ABS pipe; ABS Cement
- Pipe Thread Sealant
- 4”x4” x 8ft Treated lumber (x6) + 2”x4” x 6ft Treated lumber (x2)
- 3.5” x 0.25” Aluminum Angle (x 16)
- ¼” Lag Bolts and Washers; Stainless for feet
- Flexible downspout (x2) + Extra downspout
- PVC adapters and spigot
Construction of the Rain Harvester
I laid out two lengths of the 4×4’s and figured my spacing so that I could still remove the barrels, and be able to place a bucket under the spigot.
I cut my 4×4’s to 23” long and spaced them 24” apart with the bottom level measuring 16” above the ground, and the 4×4’s running parallel to the barrels were cut to 27.25” long.
With the potential for each barrel to hold 450+lbs of water I had a local metal supplier cut 16 pieces of 3.5”x3.5”x 0.25” aluminum angle at 3.25” long to serve as my brackets. I then drilled six holes in each big enough to fit my ¼”lag bolts.
While at the metal store I also got four pieces of 0.25” thick stainless steel tread plate measuring 8”x8” and 16 pieces of 2”x2” x 0.125” angle to weld up my own feet.
This would keep the four posts from sitting in the mud on wet days and provide a better footing for the nearly 1500lbs of maximum water storage.
Related: Read This Before Stockpiling Water In Blue Barrels
I drilled holes in the feet thinking I would screw it in, but after setting it upright I was not worried about them going anywhere.
To prevent the barrels from rolling and putting extra stress on my ABS fittings I cut 12 pieces of 2×4’s with a 45 degree bevel on one end at 7.5” long. Finally I added two 2×4’s measuring 34” across the top for added rigidity.
Plumbing
I started by adding pipe thread sealant to the DWV and mating it with the buttress adapter.
I chose thread sealant because it was less permanent and would allow me to tighten the fittings if any leaks formed, or if/when I needed to replace a cracked fitting.
Mating these adapters before I installed them on the barrels ensures I didn’t over tighten or strip any of the threads.
Related: What I Wish I Knew Before Building A Root Cellar In My Backyard
I then dry fit all of my ABS fittings allowing me to measure and cut my ABS pipe to length.
Once I was happy with how it was all fitting and that none of the adapters were under any stress, I cleaned all the fittings and pipes and glued them together with ABS cement following the manufacturers installation guidelines.
The top fill spout combined with the wye (or tee) fitting allows the barrels to fill up and then drain any excess back down the drain spout.
I added a piece of window screen material over the spout to keep out large debris and secured it with a hose clamp.
Putting this screen on the very top allows the debris to continually be washed away without fear of any filters getting clogged or needing replacement.
I then cut my aluminum downspout and added the flexible downspout to divert it to my harvesting system.
I then attached a short piece of downspout with a screw to the overflow of the fill spout to feed it back into the original downspout.
I live in Seattle and experience freezing temperatures in the winter. Keeping a full system during my first winter with the system cracked a few fittings so I learned to drain all but the bottom barrel to keep from replacing fittings every year. The flexible downspouts make it easy to reconnect the downspout to the drain and bypass the barrels in the winter.
They are also useful to bypass the barrels before the first rain after a long stretch of no rain since over that time pollen, dust, animal droppings and other debris has been collecting on your roof, and it’s better to allow it to wash off before storing it in your barrels.
Over the last eight years of use I have added extra 4×4’s to increase rigidity and a 45 degree elbow to the drain spout to keep the water from dripping back out of the spout.
And you might be wondering about my plants? Well, they couldn’t be happier with their natural water and having the spigot located so high above the ground allows me to attach a hose and water other plants in my backyard.
About The Author
David is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast, and an indoor/outdoor gardener. He is a fabricator, mechanic, and all around handy man currently living in Seattle, Washington and working for Pure Watercraft developing the future of electric boating.
This project was an original idea, designed and made by David himself. All of the photos in this article were taken by the author as well.
This article was first published on Self-Sufficient Projects.
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Good refresher article on water storage. I have a small water capture system for about 5 years now. A backup for watering plants.
Off topic: Recent news reminder
America land of: Borders, Language and Culture, truth, justice and the American way.
Miss Liberty’s homeland has been tread on by liberal indigenous hokum to divide us by cultural labels. Including a corrupt 2-tiered legal system.
European tradition, Marxism, defy the natural order of all things, Mother Earth has been abused. The Heavenly Father is watching us. No climate change theory can alter that simple fact.
Everyone who’s born in the Western Hemisphere is a Native American. We are all Native Americans.
I’m an American or an American Indian. I’m not a Native American. I’m not politically correct.
Those not born here somehow believe being a hyphenated American helps them. To get minority privilege get in front of the line of those who have been waiting for years the legal way.
We should put “American” before ethnicity. I’m not a hyphenated African-American or Irish-American or Jewish-American or Mexican-American.
Get my American drift or read between the lines?
In some areas politicians are trying to in a round about way to ban rain harvesting. Also ban home gardens on homeowners private properties.
We will need to be guerilla gardeners and camouflage our rain harvesting from these outright nasty political activist in our communities.
The question is why should these people care what we do to capture the free rain fall?
This is a good starter article on rain harvesting. I have seen a wide range of designs. It comes down to what components are available in our areas to buy. That may determine what our harvest system will look like. If we can’t figure it out, there is someone, a handyman that can put one together for us to use.
Unless your system is being used only to water the plants and not for drinking purposes.
Need to use food grade items for potable drinking water and major filtering. For all the debris in that water. Otherwise any plastic and metal parts can be used to water our plants.
Get your rain harvest parts together before the prices increase or in short supply.
To keep the water from freezing in the winter, use stock tank de-icers available from Tractor Supply, Rural King, other farm and garden supply stores or Amazon. And yes there are ones available that will fit in the bung hole on the blue barrels and IBS totes. Do your research.Good luck.
After the fall season and duing the winter season, I drain the 50 gallon barrels and keep the values at the bottom open. I remove the incoming hoses so any rain/snow melting doesn’t go into the barrels. As fa as what the water in the barrels are use for is strickly for water plants that will not be used for human consuption. Mainly flowers. For the plants that will be omsumed such as herbs (basil, mints and the such) are not watered with rain barrel water as this water is not filtered. We have plenty of winds that blow the dirt around and it landds on the roof. Rain washes it into the barrels plus the shingles chemicals. Which is not so good for humans. I’ve done my reading research and also understand that using the typical potting soil that is purchased at you favorite location is full of chemicals. Do you use a chemical aditive to enhence your plants (herbs, garden and so-forth), not very good for the body. Rainwater collection and chemicals? Please don’t misunderstand me, I use the rainwater from my barrels and plant enhencers even to this day but in the process of changing to stay healthier.
Welcome to CA. land of restriction , control , lawlessness , koas , failed laws for controlling
you cannot store, collect , use rain water in any city in ca. as per thier idiot laws , made for the stupid who have no brains, and follow the idiots in charge
just like NY, WA , Or, all have the same WOKE villiage idiots installed , not elected, NO person with a brain would let this happen , unless they Lie , cheat , take the payoffs , and follow WEF , CFR , WHO like the idiots they are
Thank you for sharing your other states and countries views
Stand , Speak out , Do NOT Comply with the idiots in charge
Arm up , to protect Your loved ones and familys , friends and like minded
The water harvesting is good to inspire us to try it.
Currently;
Union strikes are ramping up inflation which Biden’s administration likes. Hey remember these political bums don’t care either way. They never lost their jobs or income during the Fake Covid Crisis, WE Americans DID Loose out. Dr. F said only 14 days, Ha, Ha!
What are we fighting for? Absolutely nothing. The great chief and divider started remaking America in his Marxist image, which Biden continues his 3rd term in office. They divide us by labels of division, sparking us to fight each other, while they sit back an laugh at us.
White and Black socialist women so far, would vote for Biden again, thinking he does no wrong. “The View” TV annoying series needs to go off the air period.
Is CA gov Newscum and Michelle Obumer the next Demoncrat the future?
California has self imposed man made water shortage issues. Look up “The Delta Smelt ” controversy. Another rigged job by the unions and environmentalist there. The UN Climate Change Summit is happening soon. The promoters want Biden to make it a national propaganda day.
Good Grief!
Most of these WOKE “people” are criminal in nature and all have their dirt. Collect that dirt and play them at their own game. They will either run away or disintegrate in their own filth.
It is not illegal to collect rainwater in Oregon or Washington
not much of a response to the article – if you are one of the positives – suggest you do some of your own research on water storage, food grade plastics and chemical contamination involving your property and in particular your edible gardens ….
if you are storing potable water for SHTFtime, water for livestock or watering your property >> you need FOOD GRADE – FDA approved containers – no ifs, ands or buts involved – anything else and you have chemical contamination involved ….
starts at the factory – costs more for the FDA approved virgin plastics and food compatible chems involved to manufacture food grade >>> nobody is paying extra to ship their non-food products – simplicity to separate the two in the used container market ….
get it correct – not anything you want to fluff off – and the chems etch into the plastics and not just “washed out” or “soaked out” ….
The system looks real good. There is one issue that I have not seen anyone address.
With those barrels full of rainwater, how do you keep them from freezing up in the winter in the northern states? I would love to build this but the freezing part has me stopped.
I live in Lewis County WA, out towards Mt Rainer and have used 55 gallon containers for water during the winter. My set up is with vertical barrels set upon individual stands. All barrels are fed in parallel by a single line, and fed from side near the top,(See below), I have individual hose bib connections near the bottom on each barrel. During the oncoming freezing weather, I drain down the top third or so on each barrel.
When the freeze hits the barrels seem to only freeze at the top and at the hose bib, leaving a lot of room for expansion.. I haven’t lost any connections or barrels in over two decades.
I modified the internal section of the down spout so the level of rain water that is diverted, stops just below the top of the barrel/s. About 3-5 inches down. For winter it’s only a matter of pulling off the feeder line from the downspout and capping the male plug at the downspout.
Probably not the best of two worlds, but I found it easier to construct at the time.
Check with nearby beverage companies. I managed to purchase 40 barrels, that had contained beverage flavorings (edible, of course), for $10 each. Giving me 10 for fresh water (550 gallons), and 30 (1,650 gallons) for the garden. Make a few calls, you might get lucky.
I’ve got a rain water harvesting system that catches water off the roof. However, after having had it for a few years, there is an issue – the spiggot at the bottom is clogged with algae/debris and the water barely comes out. I’m thinking the only way to clean it out is unscrew the 2″ PVC at the bottom and let it drain and then hose it out from the top. Does anybody have any other ideas?
We upgraded my system, cleaned the IBS totes, and installed a 55 gal filter. Now we wait for the actual rain from the sky. I’m hoping to use it for irrigation when we are cut off by politics.
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I am looking into a similar solution to a related problem.
I have access to smaller barrels, all food grade. My intention is to collect rain water, the feed it through the other barrels which are built as filters. Gravel, sand, activated charcoal, etc. And the last barrel will have the large black berkey style ceramic filters. So, now I will have not only garden water, but drinking water, as well.
It is encouraging to hear that some individuals continue to exert considerable effort to maintain current blog content.
Good to hear people are learning to use the rain. We live totally on rain water, except for toilet water which comes from a polutted stream. no public water supply, except boreholes, and they are with a very high flourine content.
Drinking water is filtered rain water, coffee and tea is unfiltered rain water, but it is boiled, so who cares. All drainage water goes to water grass and plants. Every bit of roof is guttered and we try to catch every drop. dust and dirt from the roof all goes into the tanks and of course we need to clean tanks every 5 to 10 years. 400,000 liters storage from 3 roofs, barely enough to live on.
Ps I live in Kenya