Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Rain Barrel

Need a cheap, eco-friendly water source? Make a rain barrel today! All you need is a plastic 55 gallon drum barrel, flexible guttering, a valve, hose, and a few pallets.
  • Cut a hole for the guttering and a hole for the faucet.
  • Attach faucet and direct the guttering into the barrel. (If you have a lot of trees nearby, you may need to attach a screen over the guttering hole to keep debris out.)
  • Set atop a few pallets and you're done! Perfect for hand-watering or drip irrigation. You can also purchase a small pump for washing the car or other chores that need pressure.

 You can paint the exterior of your barrel with spray paint for plastic too!

My dad made a "cradle" for our rain barrel, but you can set yours upright if you don't have one.
The valve, which attaches to a hose. Just remember to put the valve at the bottom of the barrel so gravity will work in your favor!

*You can often find these barrels on craigslist. I've even seen rain barrels made from trash cans!

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