Ecologically Sound Water Usage and the Rain Barrel

Catching rainwater as it falls is an age old idea. In fact, the idea of the rain barrel has been around for just as long as irrigation has... pretty much as long as civilization. In the last century or so, however, households have increasingly relied on municipal water systems. Unfortunately, using falling rainwater is no longer widely done.

Everyone with a budget and a desire to take care of the environment wants to save energy and reduce their water usage. But most households do not realize the benefits they could receive from using a rain barrel. A rain barrel is a large, specially made container that is designed to catch rainwater. These barrels are placed under your roof's drain downspout. When rain falls on the roof of your home, it is swept into your roofs gutters and out through its downspout. Using this method, you can collect huge quantities of falling water.

How a Rain Barrel Helps the Environment

Reduces storm water runoff. Did you know that, though rain is good for an ecosystem, it can be bad for the environment? When rain falls, it flows through our city streets before being carried to creeks and rivers. In this process, rainwater picks up toxins, such as pesticides, pet waste, oil, etc. If you collect some of that rainwater instead of allowing it to flow away, you can reduce the pollution of our rivers.

Improved water efficiency. Of course, the most significant effect of using a rain barrel is the reduced water usage. In the summer time, up to 40% of a household's water usage goes to watering their garden and lawn. As a result of water shortages, many communities are experiencing water supply problems, forcing water rationing. By catching rainwater, however, you can relive some of the burden on your city's water supply, as well as keep your garden and yard healthy and watered year round.

Energy efficiency. We all know that reducing the amount of energy we use to power our homes is important for the environment. But many of us do not consider the power usage implied by using municipal water. The water that comes from our home's pipes is water that is cleaned and pumped through long pipes to our homes. There are countless processes in water processing that use up energy and, unfortunately, harm the environment.

You can reduce your water usage by thousands of gallons and have plenty of water handy for plants and odd jobs simply by using a rain barrel. The only job rainwater can not fill is satisfying your thirst. Other than that, using a rain barrel is perfect for cleaning your Camaro, watering your camillas... and protecting the Earth.