April 22nd, 2009 
Tushar Mathur 
Rain Water is one of our easiest and readily available sources of water. During every rain storm we let a massive amount of water go to waste. With the water supply decreasing at an alarming rate, we cannot afford to let water go to waste. One easy way to use a natural supply of water is through a rain barrel. A rain barrel is just as the name implies, it’s a barrel for collecting rainwater. This water can be used for your garden to give your plants and flowers a more refreshing & healthier source of water.
Now that you’ve been introduced to a rain barrel, there are many ways to acquire one for your home. The most cost effective way is to build your own. There are numerous guides on the Internet available for building a rain barrel. Another option for those who do not have the time to build their own is to purchase an already assembled rain barrel. These rain barrels tend to be sturdier than one built from scratch but obviously requires a price to acquire.
Rain Barrels are especially useful during slow rain seasons or droughts. Hoses can be attached to many rain barrels allowing for easy use of the water. Also city regulations do not apply to rain barrels. Cities also treat the water with minerals & chemicals for consumers but plants & flowers do not need these additions. Natural rainwater is pure and healthier for your lawn & garden.
Lawn & Garden can easily make up about 40% of total household water usage. By using a rain barrel you can help cut your water bill by as much as 40%. An average of 1,300 gallons can be saved during the summer months. Because the rain barrel system relies on gravity you do not need any type of machine to operate the system that saves you energy also. Another benefit is almost found in the decreased amount of water to runoff into our streams.
To find out the average amount of rainfall in your city visit the following site: http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather
Remember 1 inch of rain per square foot equals roughly half a gallon of water. So 2 inches per square foot = 1 Gallon of Water.
Rain Barrels are Available @ Conserv-A-Store
Top Left – http://www.conservastore.com/productdetail.php?p=359
Bottom Right – http://www.conservastore.com/productdetail.php?p=405
Related Articles:
Posted in 
