Downspout Rainwater.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?Rainwater 8 April 2009 Downspout Rainwater

Pictures indicating a simple, practical method of utilizing downspout rainwater. Barrels cost 15 dollars and all parts and tools are readily available. Any urban downspout system must address the overflow problem during rainfall. The large bung hole is a reasonable compromise for overflow. The height is such that a hose may be utilized for watering plants. The system is readily expandable. I have four barrels, two on each side of the house.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?Downspout 16 April 2009 Downspout Water Connection
The downspout water system was switched over to Summer mode by connecting the downspout to the storage barrels.

[KathyLauren]

Good job! Nice, simple, practical, inexpensive installation. I'm a big fan of collecting rainwater.

[Durgan]

Good job! Nice, simple, practical, inexpensive installation. I'm a big fan of collecting rainwater.

This will be the third year and I like the system each year. I even have two more barrels at the back that I may hook up, but so far I have had sufficient water to meet my needs. I particularly like the downspout water for the beginning of the season on seeds and seedlings.

[Millymollymandy]

I've just browsed the photos but it all looks rather complicated. Can't you just buy ordinary free standing water butts like we can in Europe? We have loads of them but as we've barely had any rain in 2 months they are fast depleting plus the water is going green in the white IBCs (next time I will get black ones!).

[Durgan]

I've just browsed the photos but it all looks rather complicated. Can't you just buy ordinary free standing water butts like we can in Europe? We have loads of them but as we've barely had any rain in 2 months they are fast depleting plus the water is going green in the white IBCs (next time I will get black ones!).

Complicated? A free standing barrel under a downspout is a real misery during heavy rainfall. My system is also basically sealed so mosquitoes are not a problem. There is no heavy ugly wooden structure to give some height to the barrels. There could be other barrels added in tandem simply by connecting more hoses. All the hardware is off the shelf items kept in hardware stores. The Season conversion takes a few minutes. The depicted system has to be the easiest, and most simple for the ordinary small property owner.

Now lets see photographs of what you are proposing?

[MKG]

Looks good to me - but I can't see from the photos how you vent that second barrel, Durgan?

It also looks eminently adaptable - I'm sure that a similar system could be made from MMM's free-standing water butts. It doesn't really have to be so high, although a bit of height helps when you're trying to draw the water off (I actually don't mind the wooden structures ).

Mike

[Millymollymandy]

Wow, no need to bite my head off! We just buy plastic water butts (or IBCs), connect to down pipe et voila. No need to have barrels on their sides up in the air. They just sit on a base and you turn the tap and hey presto water comes out into your watering can. No misery in heavy rainfall as we have an overflow hose which waters the grass instead. It takes about 10 minutes to fit a water butt and tap. Oh and they all have lids so there is no problem with insects. It''s the standard thing here in France, every garden centre and hardware store sells them and they are cheap as well.

[pelmetman]

I agree MMM water butts are a lot cheaper in France compared to here, we bought these two 500ltr butts for less than £70 a few years ago. We got voluntered to take furniture out to Sues sisters Gite as I have a large van for deliveries and picked them up then. For the same size butts over here they would cost over a hundred each
Mind you its only May and one is empty and the other only half full

DSCN0441web.jpg (40.37 KiB) Viewed 4127 times

[KathyLauren]

I've just browsed the photos but it all looks rather complicated.

Not compared to mine it isn't!

[Durgan]

I've just browsed the photos but it all looks rather complicated.

Not compared to mine it isn't!

Beautiful job, and well done. Freezing would e a big consideration for me, plus I don't require a setup so elaborate.

[Durgan]

Looks good to me - but I can't see from the photos how you vent that second barrel, Durgan?

It also looks eminently adaptable - I'm sure that a similar system could be made from MMM's free-standing water butts. It doesn't really have to be so high, although a bit of height helps when you're trying to draw the water off (I actually don't mind the wooden structures ).

Mike

The inlet is only to the first barrel. The drain of both barrels is connected together by a T for filling the carrying containers. The second barrel and any others connected fill up through the connection pipe, since water will seek equal level in both barrels. The vent is the upper bung hole, which also acts as an overflow in the event of heavy rain. I could put a longer drain pipe for overflow, but it is not necessary. The excessive water just gushes out onto the lawn. All the hardware is standard, and readily available in the box hardware stores.

The whole system after gathering the hardware only takes an hour or so to construct. Forty five gallon drums are readily available, since many products are shipped in these barrels. I could have chosen plastic, but the fittings were odd ball, which would have complicated matters. I do have one plastic barrel which I fill and dip the water out, when I am in a rush.

By placing the plug in the bung hole the system is effectively sealed, the only inlet being the feed to the first barrel from the downspout.

I use a sump pump on occasion which will pump water from the one plastic barrel about 100 feet with good pressure. My usual method of transport is a two wheeled cart and a five gallon pail with a lid to eliminate spillage. This is adequate in my relatively small garden about 0.4 of an acre.

Some height is a great advantage if using gravity for drawing the water off. Wooden platforms compared to driving in a few steel fence posts needs no comment.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CFIAT 23 May 2010 Transporting Downspout Rainwater
Moving small quantities of rainwater can get tiresome carrying in five gallon pails. The two wheeled car in conjunction with a five gallon pail eases the burden. The lid on the five gallon pail eliminates spillage.

[Millymollymandy]

I agree MMM water butts are a lot cheaper in France compared to here, we bought these two 500ltr butts for less than £70 a few years ago. We got voluntered to take furniture out to Sues sisters Gite as I have a large van for deliveries and picked them up then. For the same size butts over here they would cost over a hundred each
Mind you its only May and one is empty and the other only half full

DSCN0441web.jpg

They look very familiar and I was just reading about your set up on the other thread so nice to see a photo! Yup water is in rather short supply at the moment!

I don't know why they are so expensive in England though, doesn't make a lot of sense.