For sample purposes a 55 gallon barrel will be used.
Rain barrel roof runoff.
Collecting roof runoff in rain barrels reduces the amount of water that flows from your property.
It s a great way to conserve water and it s free water for use in your landscape.
The problem is that there has been little direct research using runoff to water edibles and checking them for contamination.
I was looking around and found that of the research that has been done when it comes to rain barrels and other catchments that the water coming off the roof is dangerous.
Also outlined are the steps to build your own rain barrel to collect water from your roof and downspout for all outdoor uses like watering and cleaning.
Gardeners often collect water in a rain barrel with little to no protection from the roof s first flush of runoff.
As rain barrels proliferate and climate change squeezes summer water supplies there s certain to be increasing interest in using roof runoff to grow vegetables and fruits.
The system outlined below will walk you through the steps of determining your rain barrel sizes based on average roof runoff.
If you re thinking about buying a rain barrel look for one with a first flush feature which stores the first five to 10 gallons.
Many roofs are asphalt which are loaded with tar zinc and anti fungal agents.
Rain barrels rain barrels make collecting roof runoff convenient.