Put Rain to Work with a Rain Barrel

Capture nature’s watery bounty with a store-bought or homemade rain barrel, plus tips for reducing stormwater pollution from your yard

Summer rain showers might put the occasional damper on your outdoor plans, but that lifegiving liquid is what makes everything grow and thrive. An easy, affordable way to put nature’s watery bounty to work is by installing a rain barrel on your property. 

This home improvement will collect and store rainwater for outdoor watering needs—reducing water costs and runoff pollution at the same time. 

When attached to a downspout, rain barrels prevent rainwater from entering the storm drain, storing it for later use on lawns, gardens and plants. This alone makes rain barrels a valuable use of “free water.” But, by averting polluted runoff from the yard, a rain barrel helps to keep soil erosion and flooding at bay, too. 

Rainwater flows along rooftops, driveways and sidewalks, picking up dirt, trash, motor oil, fertilizers, pet waste and other pollutants. The debris washes into the storm drain system, then out to local creeks, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.  

You can find ready-to-install rain barrels in local hardware, home and garden and do-it-yourself stores across the Coastal Virginia region. Or, for less than $100, you can make one by installing a hose bib to a heavy-duty trash can using a drill, screws and nylon screening. 

Other Tips for Reducing Stormwater Pollution 

Beyond rain barrels, here are more ways to reduce stormwater pollution:  

Test your lawn soil. Over fertilizing can result in runoff of chemicals into local waterways. Test the soil before fertilizing with a do-it-yourself kit available at home and garden stores or from the Virginia Cooperative Extension. The results will help you
decide how much fertilizer to apply to achieve a healthy lawn. 

Leave grass clippings. You can avoid using fertilizer altogether by mulching grass clippings back into the yard, providing a free, natural source of nitrogen.

Seed bare spots. Bald spots in the yard may cause you to lose topsoil when it rains. If these are in shady areas, consider replacing grass with shade-loving groundcovers and plants.

Choose more plants. Trees, shrubs and perennials will help reduce the negative effects of stormwater runoff better than a lawn. When possible, choose native plants, which can be drought-tolerant, disease-resistant and will attract important insects, birds and wildlife to your yard. For those who live on the water, create a wide plant buffer between your home and the shoreline.This will intercept sediments and filter out pollutants.

Mulch bedding areas. Mulch helps to control erosion, retain moisture, stabilize the soil temperature and prevent weeds. Leaves are a natural source of mulch that you can keep out of the storm drain by putting them in plant bedding areas. 

Use downspout extensions. To address standing water around a home’s foundation, consider installing downspout extensions. Extending the downspout allows you to aim the flow of rainwater away from the foundation and other paved areas. Direct the flow towards lawn or garden areas instead so rainwater can safely soak into the ground.   

Being conscientious about managing stormwater will help keep pollutants out of the rain’s path. Not only will it improve your property, but it will also improve the health of our local waterways and the ecosystems that depend on them.

How to Build Your Own Rain Barrel 

Total construction time averages 10 to 15 minutes, and the cost is approximately $45 depending on the size of the trash can purchased.

Parts

1 heavy duty trash can
1 hose bib (½-inch)
1 chimney pipe trim collar (6-inch)
2 faucet tailpipe nuts (½-inch each)
2 O-rings (#15)
1 threaded nipple (½-inch)
1 threaded PVC extender (½-inch)
4 small screws
1 piece nylon screen (7×7-inch)

Tools

Drill with screw tip
¾-inch paddle drill bit
Tin snips or jigsaw

Directions

Drill ¾-inch hole approximately 3” to 4” from bottom of barrel.
Drill ¾-inch hole near top of barrel.
Screw ½-inch threaded nipple into hose bib and insert into bottom hole.
Slide O-ring over threaded nipple from inside of barrel and screw on faucet tailpipe nut until secure.
Insert ½-inch threaded PVC extender into upper hole.
Slide O-ring onto threaded end from inside and secure with faucet tailpipe nut.
Cut a 5-inch hole in trash can lid using tin snips or jigsaw.
Trim nylon screening to fit chimney pipe trim collar.
Place screen, then trim cover over hole in lid and attach with screws.
Trim downspout where rain barrel will be installed to fit the height of your new rain barrel. Direct the downspout to drain into the chimney collar.
Place the rain barrel on two concrete blocks to provide a level surface.
Last but not least: Wait for rain and enjoy your new rain barrel!

Rebekah Eastep is team leader with the askHRgreen.org region-wide public awareness and education initiative. This story was originally published by AskHRGreen. Learn more at askHRgreen.org or follow @askHRgreen.