Step 1. Construction of the Rain Barrels Base

Because we had some summer storms coming, I constructed a temporary base for the barrels made of concrete blocks and 2×4 studs. Everything was leveled and the barrels were put in their final position so that connecting tube lengths could be estimated.

Step 2. Positioning the Diverter

A proper height of the diverter was selected so that the mounting flanges of the diverter could be screwed just above the lower edge of the metal siding of the house. At this point the rain downspout was marked to be cut.

Step 3. Cutting the Downspout

The rain downspout was removed and cut on a chop saw for a clean, straight cut. I cut out a section of the downspout that was equivalent to the length needed by the diverter so that all existing mounting straps at the bottom of the downspout would still be usable. This resulted in a clean installation.

Step 4. Mounting the Downspout and Diverter

The upper section of the downspout was reconnected to the rain gutter. I used an awl to align one of the existing holes while I re-inserted the other screws. I then positioned the diverter in place and screwed it to the metal siding of the house. Finally, I positioned the bottom section of the downspout and re-attached it to the house.

Step 5. Connecting the Barrels to Each Other

I measured and cut lengths of the tubing to connect the barrels in their proper position. To make it easier to slide the tubing over the connectors, I placed the tubes in hot tap water for 30 seconds. This softened the tube and it easily slid onto the connectors. Because there would be no high water pressure, I did not use hose clamps here.

Step 6. Connecting the Diverter to the Barrels

The last step was to connect the tubes between the diverter and the rain barrels. I originally used the two white tubes provided, but then decided to use one clear tube so any observers could see the water running through the tube. Before attaching the end of the tube to the connectors, I again placed the tube end in hot tap water to soften the tube. Then the tubes were attached. I used hose-clamps to secure the upper end of the tube at the diverter, so that the tube did not come off. Finally, I used one zip-tie to hold the tubes to the downspout so they didn’t move in the wind. The installation was complete and took about 2 hours, not counting time to the hardware store to buy extra tubing and hose clamps.

We’ve had three storms since the installation and all three barrels are 3/4 full. -Thanks

Note: The tanks are for rainwater harvesting for garden plants and fish ponds. If you are planning to drink rainwater you do so at your own risk, please filter the water.

Each Rainwater Tank comes with all you need for easy setup including:

55 Gallon Rainwater Tank (white and paintable) – These tanks are food grade and rugged, can handle all kinds of weather.
Brass Threaded Spigot – Solid Brass tank spigot that is threaded for ordinary garden hose.
Rainwater Diverter & Connection Hose – A smart rainwater diverter that runs until the tank is full then diverts back to the existing drainage pipe.
Winter Plug – For those interested in storing the storage tank during winter and leaving the diverter outside.
Instructions – Easy to follow instructions.

($150 with Free Shipping!)

Testimonials

William Kolosi writes:

I ordered and received my harvester last week, and installed it over the weekend. It’s installed in Stow, Ohio, and we’re expecting rain tomorrow night—can’t wait! Attached are some photos.

After I took the photos I tied some string into a net that fits nicely on the top half of the barrel. I replanted some ivy from elsewhere around the house, and strung it up through the net. My goal is to have the harvester look like a shrub! Nice product, coming together with the downspout diverter.

Susan Hamilton from Grand Prairie, TX writes:

We had a half inch in the rain gauge, and the barrel filled completely up! It was a snap to install and seems to be very well made. I am extremely pleased with your product. Here is a picture for you to see the finished flowerbed with rain barrel installed.

Update:

I entered a contest that I saw on our company’s home page, about water conservation. A group that the company sponsors through our ESH department called Green Star held a contest and had two categories, one was water conservation, and the other was xeriscaping. I sent in pictures of my rain barrel, one pic of it hooked into the gutter and the other pic of the side with the soaker hose. I won first place, and got a $50 master card to spend wherever I want to. I’m doing the happy dance J!

Interested in traditional rain barrels? (click image below)

Eric’s Rainwater Harvester

Thought you might like to know of the great success that was obtained from your excellent products. Ordered the 3p Rainus from you along with a Rain Mammoth setup. Have since obtained a FloTrue Smart Valve Rainwater Diverter that flushes the first 10 to 60 gallons of water from the roof (the amount is up to the individual). They got blown away in hurricane Katrina and are trying to re-tool for production again.

I eventually obtained one from www.braewater.com , the last one on the shelf. Look at Flotrue’s Smart Valve Dealers page for more dealers. The product was inexpensive ($80) and performed excellently.

Then purchased a Katydyn Gravydyn 2 1/2″ gallon drip ceramic and carbon filter from REI.com. Look/search under water filters on this page for the Katydyn filter.

Had the rainwater tested by a Fort Worth, Texas microbiology water testing company and the test results came back astonishingly clean for being in the middle of a large city and using a composite roof.

• Lead -.02 mg/liter

• Sulfates-1.3 mg/liter

• Nitrates- .02 mg/liter

• Fecal Coliform – 0% none

Was also told this was at the very bottom of anywhere near the accepted parts per million. They said “drink it”.

This was very exciting for me and I share this with you as you mentioned that you were looking for an “off the grid” system to maybe offer to others. No electrical anything. If you look closely between the barrels in the picture that was sent, the Flo-True can set-up can be seen. The valve is mounted inside the “clean-out tee” at the bottom of the white pipes.

Thanks for dealing with me and offering some guidance; love your 3P Rainus filter by the way, does a nice job and my home is overhung by many trees. Have gutter leaf guards on the roof also.

Hope that Spring is coming your way and your days are a bit brighter. Keep up the good work for earth and her inhabitants. Best Rain barrel product on the market! I know, have seen many.

Maybe if your days are a bit brighter you could actually read the latest TIME magazine, April 3, 2006 Special Report on Global Warming “Earth at The Tipping Point”. Might make you feel important.

Oh, and keep up the work on the “Technorati” pages, this is where I gained a lot of initial insight on my dream of Rainwater Harvesting.

Kind Regards -

Eric V.

Thanks Eric, I will need to complete my low cost rainwater harvesting system this season, thanks for inspiring me, it was a long winter in New England.

Five University of California engineering students have been given two grants to construct a rainwater harvesting system on the campus. The grants were given by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for $10,000 each to setup downspouts, rainwater diversion, catchment and storage tanks.

Their plan is to water the campuses vast lawns with collected rainwater, but there also is discussion about rainwater harvesting for the City of Ontario, which could meet domestic water needs for a projected 10,000 people.

The team is developing a prototype system and will present their findings to the MWD in February and compete for a national People Progress and the Planet Award (P3) which covers funding for other beneficial technologies as well.

The rainwater cistern is historically an underground basin of water, but it can also be an above ground barrel or tank. Much like an artificial well, cisterns are used to make sure that water is not contaminated nor suffers from evaporation. Probably the most effective but overlooked form of rainwater storage in the modern era rainwater cisterns are practical and can be aesthetically concealed below ground, behind fencing or trellis. Good materials for cisterns include plastic liners or membrane material in wood frames, ceramic, fiberglass, “food grade” plastic and poly-tanks, as well as other potable liquid materials.

The two main reasons why people use cisterns are either for the sake of survival in a place where the only potable water is rainwater, or ecological awareness in search of sustainability. Either people need a cistern, or want one because they are concerned about how they (or others) are consuming water. A rainwater basin needs to offer enough capacity to collect enough useable water from a catchment surface. Rain barrels are exceptional tools for not only excess cistern water, but if connected together can catch enough rainwater to filter for using for cabins and other weekend getaways.

The rainwater cistern can hold large amounts of water and is completely sealed from contaminants, except those in the water itself. Where evaporation and external contamination can be issues with basins, the most practical thing about a cistern in all this is both size and location. Historically cisterns are put underground because it is one of the safest places to put something that is to be kept under constant temperature. Nowadays, we have giant rainwater cisterns that can be bought from manufacturers and become a wonderful element to add to your backyard, or barn, there is no reason not to be proud your rainwater harvesting tank.

Accumulated water is wealth in some places, and among the people of the sand in Africa, water is synonym for the word God, so important is this natural resource. Eskimos have more than 30 different words for snow, so important is it in their way of life.

In the average American family of four, anywhere from 900 to 1200 liters of water are consumed daily. So much water, what if it doesn’t rain for six months? Well, calculate the amount of cubic liters needed to safely use a cistern year round according to catchment size, rainfall, and daily consumption. The longest dry season, will determine the longest length of time without water, and that multiplied by days and liters would give the total size of any given rainwater cistern.

People who think about drinking rainwater have a good idea, but their main concern is usually the rainwater quality. Rainwater in and of itself is not usually a problem, however Mother Nature does use water as a way to clean the sky as well as the rivers, lakes and streams. There are dangers and there are safety measures that must be taken, in today’s world of modern industry. First of safety measures, is the catchment system (area where water is caught, collected, directed and accumulated). Second is the filtration system (area and equipment used to make water potable). Third is the storage system (area where water is kept for sometimes long periods during consumption.

Pollution in the sky, dust particles, tar on roofs, chemical products that may be used for anything upon/of/within the catchment surface can end up in the rainwater tank. Water is more than life giving liquid; water is a substance that latches on to just about anything, that could be harmful (or even tasteful). The first step in understanding how rainwater quality can be achieved to the point of drinking it is the concept of hygiene. Water must come in contact with as little contaminants from the time of condensation in clouds, to the time it finally hits the human organism and if it does it must be filtered.

Keeping rainwater quality to the point of drinking it, means using a catchment system that is low impact; where, roof, gutters, downspout and primary containment areas, all have as little influence on the water as possible. Vinyl is good alternative for gutters and downspouts but all gutters can harbor bacteria. Asphalt is absolutely not a good choice, however unfortunately what is most found on the roof so the filtration process chosen must be effective.

Drinking rainwater that comes from a clean and well kept catchment system is still not acceptable for today’s standards of rainwater quality due to air pollutants that poison the water. Mechanical filters like screens and closed gutters, French drains, gravel, sand, sumps, grates, and wire mesh, and first flush units are all first steps in filtration. Just remember to always concentrate on bigger to smaller debris, and the filters will always be placed correctly in the catchment system.

Second step to achieving good rainwater quality from a catchment system is finer debris filtration. To really be sure that rainwater is suitable for drinking, the water must filtered. Do not take chances! Even if you live in the middle of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, pollution can get into your rainwater. So unless you are a specialist and know everything there is to know be sure and use something like a reverse osmosis system to ensure pure water quality. If you need to take out bad-news chemicals, the chemical filter is the best choice.

Storing the rainwater for drinking later means SSS. (Safe, solid and sealed). Safe, is water that comes into the storage facility after being fully filtered. Solid, is water that cannot escape or cannot be tainted by anything from outside the container (hence the word solid). Sealed, is water that does not float away due to evaporation.

Quickly going over drinking rainwater, we see that there are three parts to the whole process, catchment, filtration and storage. Each part needs to be given the proper attention. And the biggest rule is “don’t get water dirty in the first place”, and you will always know it is good for you but for most this is not possible. If you are going to drink rainwater filter rainwater, check places like ebay.com for complete reverse osmosis and other filtration systems and make them you last step to ensure pure water quality.

I was asked the other day about what is the best roofing material for rainwater harvesting and it made me pause. I have the generic ideas once presented by others in the past but why not build upon them in a logical way and think about new solutions?

Roofing materials not good for rainwater harvesting:

Asphalt – The most common roofing material is asphalt which is not a good surface to harvest rain from. Crumbling asphalt roofing material debris can be separated during filtration but this type of shingle can also leach petroleum into the water.

Wooden Shingles – Wooden shingles are porous and harbor mold and fungus that will end up in your rainwater harvesting system. Wooden shingles are also treated with chemicals not fit for human consumption.

Metal – I remember cases of people using metal roofing materials, and then using the rain water for watering their vegetable gardens. Tests showed that the heavy metals in those vegetables were above the allowed limits. But be aware that today’s metal roofing materials do not break down as fast and there could be some that are considered safe for “potable” water.

Roofing Materials that are ok for rainwater harvesting:

Slate or Tile – Slate is a good surface to harvest rain from as long as it is kept clean. I have not heard much about this material and rainwater harvesting to be honest with you but it should work fine because it does not deteriate. Make sure you are not confusing slate with harmful asbestos tile which was mainly used as siding in the past.

Membrane Roofing Material – I have also not heard much about membrane roofing materials but in doing some quick research see that there are many products offered that are safe for “potable” water. A roofing membrane would be ideal because its chemical makeup is not friendly to bacteria. A roofing membrane could also be painted on an existing rooftop. If you are searching for this type of material just make sure it passes “potable” standards. A black rubber roofing membrane could also heat up enough to kill bacteria during sunny days.

Fiberglass – Fiberglass is a great surface to harvest rain from but it is not attractive to most people. It also is a bit noisy when it rains like the metal rooftop. If I was to build a tropical “off the grid” home I would use this roofing material because it is light weight to transport and serves its purpose well. In a more northern climate I would go a roofing membrane material.

Other Materials – People also collect rain from false roofs like tents or tarps. A large tarp can be kept clean and washed when it is not in use so the water is freer of pollutants. A tarp can also be used to cover a rooftop that would be hazardous for rainwater harvesting as a temporary solution.

I believe roofing membranes will become more popular than other materials because of their easy application. All it takes is for a couple of us to show how it’s done by covering our catchment surfaces with these high tech compounds. Remember that all rooftops are not clean no mater what material they are made from. Bird droppings and other debris will still fall and wash into rainwater harvesting systems. Also remember that a rooftop should be cleaned on a regular basis if used for potable water. Combine the right roofing surface material with first flush, course debris removal, fine debris removal and some sort of mechanical filtration system like reverse osmosis and you are “good to go”.

You can not call a rain barrel a rainwater harvesting system because it is missing important components for filtration. Rain barrels have been around for many years and are still seen on farms and homes that are environmentally conscious. A rain barrel can be either open ended or have a more advanced downspout connector installed in it to capture water directly. To be considered a rainwater harvesting system a rain barrel would need debris removal and filtration to get rainwater ready for consumption.

Even though some people still drink water collected in rain barrels it is not considered safe by those who understand the subject. Rain collected from rooftops is often contaminated with bird droppings, mold and other debris that stagnate standing water. The only way to make collected rainwater safe for consumption is to boil it but this should only be done for emergency use and not as a permanent solution.

You often see old rain barrels or trash cans with the cap removed under an area where rooftop runoff is plentiful. This open ended rain barrel is a mosquito incubating chamber (mosquitoes lay eggs in the standing water) and is unsafe to your family’s health. To modernize a rain barrel you must make sure it is fully enclosed. An old open ended rain barrel can be covered with cheese cloth or outdoor window screen to keep mosquitoes out but the water will not be safe for consumption without filtration.

Rain barrels should be used to collect water for your garden and house plants only. If you put the water through reverse osmosis after debris removal it is still not technically a rainwater harvesting system. It is important that you be careful of what you drink, people have become very sick from consuming polluted water. It is also important to make sure that you are not breading mosquitoes to protect yourself and your neighbors from the dreaded West Nile virus.

I encourage people to separate the meaning of rain barrel and rainwater harvesting system to help promote the importance of rainwater filtration and health. If you want to drink rainwater, educate yourself on all the components that make up a complete rainwater harvesting system and only use rain barrels for your garden. Add first flush, coarse debris removal, UV sterilization and reverse osmosis to rain barrel collected water and yes, I would consider it a safe.

Rain barrels are great for educational purposes, they help build an awareness of our environment. For those who enjoy home and garden plants rain barrels can also help conserve water and lower our water bills.

Interested in a traditional rain barrel? (click image below)

The rainwater cistern is historically an underground basin of water, but it can also be an above ground barrel or tank. Much like an artificial well, cisterns are used to make sure that water is not contaminated nor suffers from evaporation. Probably the most effective but overlooked form of rainwater storage in the modern era rainwater cisterns are practical and can be aesthetically concealed below ground, behind fencing or trellis. Good materials for cisterns include plastic liners or membrane material in wood frames, ceramic, fiberglass, “food grade” plastic and poly-tanks, as well as other potable liquid materials.

The two main reasons why people use cisterns are either for the sake of survival in a place where the only potable water is rainwater, or ecological awareness in search of sustainability. Either people need a cistern, or want one because they are concerned about how they (or others) are consuming water. A rainwater basin needs to offer enough capacity to collect enough useable water from a catchment surface. Rain barrels are exceptional tools for not only excess cistern water, but if connected together can catch enough rainwater to filter for using for cabins and other weekend getaways.

The rainwater cistern can hold large amounts of water and is completely sealed from contaminants, except those in the water itself. Where evaporation and external contamination can be issues with basins, the most practical thing about a cistern in all this is both size and location. Historically cisterns are put underground because it is one of the safest places to put something that is to be kept under constant temperature. Nowadays, we have giant rainwater cisterns that can be bought from manufacturers and become a wonderful element to add to your backyard, or barn, there is no reason not to be proud your rainwater harvesting tank.

Accumulated water is wealth in some places, and among the people of the sand in Africa, water is synonym for the word God, so important is this natural resource. Eskimos have more than 30 different words for snow, so important is it in their way of life.

In the average American family of four, anywhere from 900 to 1200 liters of water are consumed daily. So much water, what if it doesn’t rain for six months? Well, calculate the amount of cubic liters needed to safely use a cistern year round according to catchment size, rainfall, and daily consumption. The longest dry season, will determine the longest length of time without water, and that multiplied by days and liters would give the total size of any given rainwater cistern.What is rainwater storage? Simply put, it is a way to hold collected rainwater, in a safe, hygienic, filtered (if possible), and economical fashion so as to avoid seepage, contamination or evaporation. Hygiene is the most important part of rainwater storage, as water is a place for organisms to thrive. Once fully understood the concept of hygiene, the next concept is filtration, which can be an option that may mean the difference between drinkable and irrigational water. Economy is the last point of observation, as any good rainwater storage container, site, vault, or dank is doing the job of saving energy.

Etymologically we know that the word storage only appears after 1612, but descends from a Greek word “stauros” (stake or pole), for which in Latin later translated into store. He who builds up or maintains a store, is in a sense, creating “storage”, or goods, to then later be sold or used. In thermodynamics, the concept of storing energy refers to this kind of containment as economical. In architecture, ecological footprints, can trace the spent energy in any structure, back to square acres of land, or square meters of water, because basic units of measurement such as water and earth are the basis for all products the earth produces, including life.

Hygiene is not just a good idea when dealing with water, hygiene is an absolute must. Without good hygiene, there can’t be any kind of healthy use for the stored water. Living organisms that thrive in clear and shallow pools, just love a good rainwater storage tank, but people’s stomachs, as well as livestock, or sometimes even crops, may not enjoy the organisms in the water. So storage tanks MUST be kept hygienic! Cleanliness is essential. And if the water is to be used for drinking, all the more vigilant must a rainwater storage unit be.

Filtering is an option in rainwater storage, and in today’s world a very good idea. There are many different varieties of filters, but they fall into three categories, mechanical, biological and chemical. Any modern system will at the very least have a mechanical filter which must be cleaned regularly in order to make sure that the cleanliness and hygiene of the water can be kept under more demanding control. Sand and gravel are wonderful mechanical filters that mimic nature’s natural filtering system, and are widely used in rainwater harvesting.

The very concept of rainwater storage revolves around the whole idea of economy. Rainwater is energy. Be it energy for a seedling or energy for an ancient Redwood in the middle of the forest, rainwater brings life. But once it hits the ground, it goes back into the ground, then is purified by many layers, until it arrives once again into underground reservoirs, or streams and rivers, until finding its way to the surface, or the ocean, evaporates, and then condensates into rain once again. One of the most important factors in any good rainwater storage unit is that it is sound and has no seepage of any kind, is kept sealed as to avoid contamination and evaporation. The advantage of this is water for later on. Water to drink, water to bath, water to irrigate plants and crops, water for days when it simply will not rain.

Rainwater storage is a way of conserving energy. Safe storage of rainwater means excellent hygiene that avoids bad news organisms that thrive in still water. Filtering systems should be in place to make the storage of clean and drinkable rainwater a reality.
Economical use of the rain that drops from great Zeus’s palace in the sky and the mere mortal, whom without the gods is nothing, tries so desperately to collect it in pots and pales while stranded in a desert. With water, this mortal may be able to survive for just one more day of intense walking through arid climates. Rainwater storage kept desert trading caravans alive in antiquity, while crossing the desert; it can help a world in desperate need of new and innovative solutions.

The rainwater cistern is historically an underground basin of water, but it can also be an above ground barrel or tank. Much like an artificial well, cisterns are used to make sure that water is not contaminated nor suffers from evaporation. Probably the most effective but overlooked form of rainwater storage in the modern era rainwater cisterns are practical and can be aesthetically concealed below ground, behind fencing or trellis. Good materials for cisterns include plastic liners or membrane material in wood frames, ceramic, fiberglass, “food grade” plastic and poly-tanks, as well as other potable liquid materials.

The two main reasons why people use cisterns are either for the sake of survival in a place where the only potable water is rainwater, or ecological awareness in search of sustainability. Either people need a cistern, or want one because they are concerned about how they (or others) are consuming water. A rainwater basin needs to offer enough capacity to collect enough useable water from a catchment surface. Rain barrels are exceptional tools for not only excess cistern water, but if connected together can catch enough rainwater to filter for using for cabins and other weekend getaways.

The rainwater cistern can hold large amounts of water and is completely sealed from contaminants, except those in the water itself. Where evaporation and external contamination can be issues with basins, the most practical thing about a cistern in all this is both size and location. Historically cisterns are put underground because it is one of the safest places to put something that is to be kept under constant temperature. Nowadays, we have giant rainwater cisterns that can be bought from manufacturers and become a wonderful element to add to your backyard, or barn, there is no reason not to be proud your rainwater harvesting tank.

Accumulated water is wealth in some places, and among the people of the sand in Africa, water is synonym for the word God, so important is this natural resource. Eskimos have more than 30 different words for snow, so important is it in their way of life.

In the average American family of four, anywhere from 900 to 1200 liters of water are consumed daily. So much water, what if it doesn’t rain for six months? Well, calculate the amount of cubic liters needed to safely use a cistern year round according to catchment size, rainfall, and daily consumption. The longest dry season, will determine the longest length of time without water, and that multiplied by days and liters would give the total size of any given rainwater cistern.Rainwater catchment is the term used to describe any system that acts as a kind of sky net to capture and impound rainfall. What exactly is it that can be a rainwater catchment system? Are catchments strictly artificial, or can they be found in Nature as well? What about today? In today’s world, what is it that can be considered a catchment? Are there more common types of catchments that have been used throughout history, and what is most common today? What about the term efficiency? What is the efficiency of a rainwater catchment system?

The very earth itself in this definition of “rainwater catchment” works as one giant rainwater catchment system sustained by plentiful mountains and valleys across the many continents. The sky is so important to civilization, so omnipotent, that it has even become the foundation for hundreds of thousands of millions of different polytheisms since the dawn of humankind. Oxumare, the afro-brazilian goddess of rain and the rainbow is said to be a monster for six months out of the year and a beautiful woman named Bessem the other six. Probably due to the way the ancient African Jeje people would deal with rain, six months rainy season and six months dry season.

It is no wonder the etymological origin of the word catchment reconstructs mental images of “the hunt” and the animal being caught. As if a net were being furled like a sail in a horizontal fashion in expectation of the falling monster Oxumare who then replenishes the body to give life and beauty as when the rainbow appears after a storm and the smell of steam rises from the intense spring heat which evaporates upon the leaves and forms dense clouds of condensation upon flower petals and gently roll down into the center.

During the heavy rain the mountain remains firm and solid forming rivers down its side into gullies and ditches that eventually take to underground reservoirs and rivers into springs and surface going rivers that run for miles and miles to finally find their way to the everlasting sea. Yet in the sea as well, Oxumare finds her monstery form and then settles into the gentle rocking of mother Yemanja (goddess of the sea).

We humans make reasons for these things that happen in nature. And we imitate. Rainwater catchments in today’s reality no longer accept the poetic explanations of our primitive ancestors. Now things are based on the logic of a new and superior god known unto all as SCIENCE. It is HE who defines the truth, and it is He who tells us how a catchment system should be. Mostly, they are but imitations of the mountain top, the valley, gullies, underground reservoirs, rivers and springs.

Look closely at the roof of any house, or at the shape of rainwater harvesting cistern’s lid, and the whole mystery is reviled. Just a few things however need to be understood about the rainwater catchment system as a whole when used on roofs. First the catchment area, the area is the space on the roof that water hits. This includes the overhang and the gutters. The gutters organize the flow of water caught by the roof, and direct it into a downspout, where it is filtered like a kitchen sink drain and then finally stored in a barrel, or any other collection recipient. All of these elements make up the rainwater catchment system, area, gutters, downspout and reservoir. It’s a very simple process and any household can implement one with a little bit of common sense and start making use of roof in this fashion.

Not all rainwater catchment systems are roofs on top of houses as mentioned, some are surface water catchment systems for fields to improve irrigation. But essentially all of them need these four elements: AREA, SLOPE, DRAIN and STORAGE. Area, gives the water a place to land. Slope gives it gravitational pull, so that it can pick up speed and momentum, thereby flowing toward the drain. Drain, channels rainwater in an organized fashion so that it can actually form a consistent body. Storage is the final resting place for the flowing bodies of water that come from the drain. Stored water can then be used for any variety of daily needs, baths, dishes, plants, animals, drinking (when clean enough).

Another interesting factor in the development of any rainwater catchment system is taking into account the efficiency of the system as a whole. Efficiency is a term that refers to the amount of water lost in the process from the time the water first hit the collection area to the time it finds its way into storage. Water collection efficiency in this sense, is more related to water that goes flying away from the system, or escapes in some way, before reaching storage, such as in the case of too much slope and the water over shoots the drain. When water hits the overhang near the edge, the velocity is usually so high that not all of it is collected by the slope, and also ends up lost. Faulty gutters are another reason for rainwater catchment efficiency loss, improperly installed downspouts, mechanical filters that are just stuffed with debris can be a problem as well. Seepage, evaporation and contamination are also efficiency factors, but have more to do with rainwater harvesting in the general sense, rather than the catchment system itself.

As the catchment system is meant to simply hunt and capture the water as in times of old, when water had to be found for the gathering tribe to survive. Rainwater catchment systems today try to imitate nature as if hunting a primitive monster. In nature, mountains, land, even the sea, are all forms of collecting and storing rainwater, but in urban dwellings, the roof, the gutters and a barrel can do the same job, for one family. In cities, rivers are dammed and community reservoirs distribute water for the whole population. On farms they can capture water from the barn roof or just an enormous cistern. All systems revolve around the concept of efficiency. Especially household rainwater catchments, as they must be carefully calculated in order to be more useful, that is more efficient (water lost is water unused). Water is a gift to us, to all creatures on the earth. We must learn to use it efficiently and responsibly if we want to see a more sustainable future for those who will inherit this earth.

The mathematical principles of a rainwater calculator are really quite simple. How much rainwater will fall? How long will the rainwater keep falling? Are there any times during the year when no water falls at all? When? For how long? How big and in what condition is the cistern or vault being used? How big is the area for catchment? How much rain can be caught in what period of time? Rainwater calculators are a simple mathematical script that can be easily done by any computer or calculator.

From the ancient times when architects projected megalithic waterways known as Aqueducts, to this very day, the sky has given mysteries to urban planners. The Greek inventor Archimedes knew of the ways in which the abstract world of numbers could be used to manipulate the mechanical nature of the world, and used this to his advantage. A legend is told of the great Athenian inventor Dedalus who invented among many things, a dry treasury under a massive lake, and that whole bodies of water had to be extracted and replaced through great calculation.

Rainwater comes falling down at its own pace. Yet it will fall none the less, it will. What a good sustainable project needs to keep in mind is from when to when does it rain? Is there a dry season? If so how long is it, and how much water is consumed throughout any given month. Knowing the total rainfall in a given period of observation is done by leaving a cylinder out in the rain for the duration of the observation, and recorded every now and a again. But to be wise a person needs to study all the rainwater fall charts and graphs for the last fifty years to make an estimate on how much rain will fall on the average in any given month, and base their abstract numerical predictions on an almost worse case scenario.

The total area of the catchment system will determine how much rain can be caught, during any given rainfall. Catchment systems are the basic area upon which the collection number is based. By multiplying length and width of this two dimensional space (surface of the catchment system), a final area for the rainfall is given a value. This section of space for the water to land on is not perfect, since it’s not a bucket or rain-barrel. It’s usually a flat surface or curved with an inclination to channel the falling water. Obviously some water likes to pick up speed and go flying right off the catchment surface to the ground. This is called efficiency and has its own value in percentage as well. If efficiency is 100%, then calculations run fine, if not, then the end calculation needs to be multiplied by the final efficiency value to determine rainwater calculator loss.

The cistern size will determine how much rainwater can be stored between any given drought or low rainfall season. Rainwater calculators don’t do all the work themselves; the architect must have at least a small notion of his or her objectives. If it only rains for three months in the desert and then there are nine whole months of dry arid conditions, then a precise calculation of how much water is used per month needs to be well known. As the water collected in rainy seasons needs to be more than plenty to sustain its average monthly usage for the later dry months, take into account evaporation and seepage. The last two factors; evaporation and seepage, are directly related to the type of cistern being used. Underground cisterns tend to have a far more controlled evaporation, and if properly built seepage should not be a problem either (contaminants are probably the worse problems a cistern can face, but have little to do with calculations).

A = (catchment area of building)

R = (inches of rain)

G = (total amount of collected rainwater)

(A) x (R) x (600 gallons) / 1000 = (G)

As easy to calculate as that is, mathematical principles of rainwater calculators are based around personalized specifications, previous studies about average rainfalls in the area and calculated prediction. How much rain is falling per month, how much is used or wasted in the process? How much can be stored, how much is too much, how much is too little? Are there ever dry months, when, how long? Are there wet months to compensate for those dry months, and if so, how does that effect the potential size of the catchment system, or the cistern for that matter? What kinds of systems are being used? Are they likely to be more or less efficient? When Archimedes was sitting in his bath, passing these subjective philosophical mathematical equations over and over through his meditating mind, he was on the verge of planting the seed for future rainwater calculators 2,500 years later. Now it is we who must meditate and understand rainwater calculators. Meditate to build a better and far more sustainable reality than the one imposed by the Romans.

The long history of rainwater collection, can be traced (in recorded history) as far back as ancient times some 3,000 years ago (850 BC) if not even farther. The need for water is a basic human essential for maintaining life, without it, no civilization could have prospered. Rainwater collection in ancient Constanople is one of the last megalithic structures of its kind. During the dark ages, technologies as advanced as these however seem to have taken a severe decline in the western world, while older less expensive techniques persisted up until the industrial era. With the advance of technology, time proven methods gave way to centralized systems of water collection, with pipes and collective communal systems. If we however, are to learn from our mistakes, we must study history and in this way rediscover the value of rainwater collection.

Rainwater collection is any method that brings and unites into a body or unit of fallen rainwater (surface water) in an organized fashion. On primitive scales this usually means an excavated cistern of some kind or perhaps just a banana leaf that empties into a coconut (not too sustainable). In Egypt for example the army would use the desert to their advantage, because they had secret cashes of rainwater collected throughout the desert in underground cisterns carved out of solid rock, they could stay in remote and undisclosed regions with no fear of any invading armies, with the surrounding desert acting as a deadly fortress. King Mesha of Moab in Jordan is documented from 850 BC as having commanded that cisterns be dugout by every family in the city Qerkhah for themselves.

In the days of the Roman Empire, atrium fed rainwater collection cisterns were common place and to this day an important part of history. In fact, the art of rainwater collection in the Roman Empire achieved great proportions up until the rule of Justiantinius Augustus Caesar and his empress Theodora in the early sixth century AD. The giant underground cistern in today’s Istanbul called Yerebatan Sarayi (Sunken Palace), was used to collect fallen water from the city above in an underground, megalithic and expansive vault with high columns that can be navigated by boat. Yerebatan Sarayi is certainly the last of its kind, as building a dam can prove to be far more inexpensive. Such as is the case with “Sete Quedas” that once integrated the boarder of Brazil and Paraguay, and was the largest waterfall in the world (now a hydroelectric dam).

The island of Malta has evidently a long history of using rainwater collection to sustain its overwhelming population, and in 1610 had its first aqueduct system constructed to improve water distribution from the small amounts found in the countryside to the seaports. But recent solutions are relatively new, as centralized plumbing has improved over time and the need for hygiene more distinct, older solutions for the collection of rainwater found themselves falling into disuse. One major reason for this change in water collection and distribution is due to disease. In Afghanistan, desert cashes exist all over the countryside, but drinking from them without boiling first can be lethal. Istanbul no longer uses Yerebatan Sarayi for drinking as it was easily contaminated by pollutants from the city above, as is a major problem in any urban setting, thus treatment plants were introduced.

As long as water is not a problem, people don’t really seem to care where it comes from or even how it gets in the house, just as long as it is there and useful. This mentality of forgetting as a whole is what must be fought, as it is through the past that we learn to make a better and brighter future, by not repeating the same mistakes as our forefathers. Clean rainwater collection throughout human history has taught us time and time again how this is possible, and also the dangers of doing it wrong. In antiquity, systems were but underground cashes ditches, wells, and cisterns. In Byzantine Constanople, works of art such as the “Sunken Palace” united engineering genius with art to produce megalithic architectural wonders and the constant difficulties associated with hygiene. If the history of rainwater collection tells us anything of value, it is that filtration is the most important key in any harvesting system.

Heather’s book can be purchased from her website ( HERE ) Linking to it is the least I could do – books like this are often overlooked just as the subject of rainwater harvesting is, but this will change!

This rainwater harvesting book is packed with great images and drawings of everything related to rainwater harvesting. After reading Forgotten Rain you come away with a great knowledge of rainwater harvesting, rainwater collection systems and a better understanding of why we need to conserve rainwater. Thank you Heather Kinkade-Levario for helping to inspire others to harvest rain!

New: Read Brad Lancaster’s Interview and checkout his latest book here

I have been making rain barrels for rainwater collection for years and offer them from my other website. I have also installed multiple units together to make larger capacity rain water collection systems and there have been several people who have requested this. My rainwater collection systems are still not technically complete so I am working to change this by adding a downspout filter with first flush to the chain. The water that ends up in my new systems will be free of debris and ready for purification. People could use them as a temporary emergency water supply or without purification for their indoor and outdoor plants.

Here are a few images sent to me by the Piper Family from IL of the steps taken to setup a rainwater collection system I sent them. The system is made out of (3) “food grade” 55 gallon containers that are connected together using 3” PVC fittings. Each unit has a threaded spigot to run standard garden hose to areas of the yard in need of water. There is also a 3” overflow at the end of the string of barrels to drain overflow away from the house using standard PVC pipe. Note: This is also a great way to dry up a leaky basement.

Rainwater Collection System – Setup

Here’s the original site behind the garage. The wire going into the garage is for propane. (The tank is behind the lattice “box” on the right).

We lined the area in landscape bricks and laid down a few bags of paving screenings and crushed limestone. After it was level, we placed two cinderblocks two high on top to support each barrel. (12 cinder blocks and 6 pavers total) We used the pavers so the cinderblocks wouldn’t sink into the ground over time.

This is the opening from the other side. There is an elbow here and about 1 ½ feet from the ground another 2 elbows to bring the pipe along the garage. The pipe runs along the back of the garage on an incline and out a few feet beyond the edge of the garage. We installed a screen on the end of the pipe to prevent little critters from possibly running through.

Done! The boards gave us a surface to nail on some plastic lattice. (This lattice was left over from when we did the enclosure on the right about 4 years ago) I couldn’t throw it away at the time because I thought we might be able to use it again. Worked out perfect – we had just enough!

It’s amazing how quick your rainwater collection system fills up! Since our gardens are behind the garage and house, it has become much easier to water. Now we don’t have to wind up the hose all the time and we don’t have to worry as much about the water rationing in the summer months. THANK YOU AARON!

I always enjoy helping out people who are “hands on” like this. Since they are only using this rainwater collection system to water plants and divert rooftop runoff there is no reason for rainwater purification. I am currently making them a gutter strainer and first flush unit to remove debris that can stagnate standing water.

There you have it, a low cost working rainwater collection system.

I think it is great when ordinary people build their own rainwater harvesting systems.

The story below is of a gentleman who made an outstanding rainwater harvesting system out of a 1550 gallon rainwater tank. He later added (3) 3,000 gallon tanks after he realized how much water can be collected from his average sized rooftop. He also made and interesting “first flush” unit out of a galvanized steel trash can to remove 25 gallons of runoff during the first moments of a rain shower. First flush units remove pollen, bird droppings, pine needles and other rooftop debris before filling the tanks.

There is also a pump on the main upper tank that is on a timer to keep it full to the 1300 gallon mark. He uses a pool strainer for the upper tank and a shop vac filter on one of the lower three tanks to filter out any debris that might have escaped the first. Very nice setup indeed!

“In the past it was common practice to catch rainwater, especially on farms where large barn roofs and thirsty animals made a good combination. My rainwater catcher started out as a single 1550 gallon tank set at the corner of the house. I quickly found out that having just a 1550 gallon tank was like having a single battery in the middle of a wind storm… I just couldn’t catch enough. Watching the tank run over only to make the driveway muddy was very frustrating”.

“Rainwater is great for plants, showers and of course flushing the toilet. Evaporative cooler pads will not load up with minerals because there aren’t any minerals in the rain water. You will also use less detergent in the laundry”.

Who says people cannot make their own rainwater harvesting systems?

Actually this is a question that does not have one right answer because there are many different rainwater tanks used in rainwater harvesting. Still it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the different storage tanks used. This is because the rainwater tank is a very critical area of rainwater harvesting.

Some of the most popular tanks used in rainwater harvesting are Polyethylene rainwater tanks. These tanks are much-liked because of the various advantages they have. Firstly they can be used above the ground and even below the ground. Coupled with the fact that Polyethylene rainwater tanks are less expensive than other varieties, it is not surprising that many folks opt for this type of storage tank to store harvested rainwater.

Polyethylene rainwater tanks are also UV resistant, and rather than being heavy and bulky are very light in weight and easy to carry around.

Fiberglass rainwater tanks are another popular type of rainwater storage tank. The biggest advantage they have is that they are resistant to rust and chemical corrosion. Fiberglass rainwater tanks can also withstand extreme temperatures.

These are probably some of the reasons why despite the fact that they are much more costly than other types and varieties of rainwater tanks, they are still fairly popular in the market.

There are other rainwater tanks storage tanks like the metal rainwater tank. Metal rainwater tanks are manufactured from copper, stainless or color polymer coated steel. These materials are usually rust proof and long lasting. Maybe the biggest advantages that these types of rainwater storage tanks have is the fact that they can withstand extreme temperatures without showing any signs of wear and tear.

Another type of rainwater tank is the concrete rainwater tank. Although the biggest disadvantage of these rainwater storage tanks is that they usually crack over time, advocates of these tanks point to the fact that if the tank can be drained, it is very easy to repair and will then give you many more years service before it needs to be repaired again.

But there is yet another worrying downside to this type of rainwater tank. And this is the fact that it attracts algae growth where sunlight is present.

Maybe the biggest thing that concrete water tanks have going for them is the fact that they can keep water cooler than many other above ground tanks that are exposed to sun and heat.
To be able to make a decision as to which is the best rainwater storage tank for your use for you, you will need to consider a few factors. To start with you will need to look at the sort of climate in the area where you would like to do your rainwater harvesting. Then you will need to ask yourself other questions like whether the tank will be installed below the ground or above the ground and what purpose the water is going to be used for. For example is it going to be for household use or for irrigation?

When you answer this question you will be able to make the ideal decision as to which is the best rainwater tank to use for your rain water harvesting storage purposes.