Constructing a water-trapping device can be done with some cheap materials.
Whether your motivation for constructing a water-trapping device is to save money on your water bill or simply conserve a precious natural resource, these devices allow you to collect runoff from a roof and re-purpose it. While there are commercial water-trapping devices available, you can construct your own system. Whatever your needs - to have a small amount or hundreds of gallons of water in reserve - you can modify your setup to accommodate the required water-holding capacity. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Put on safety glasses and rinse out the barrel to ensure it is clean and free of any debris.
2. Use the 1 1/2-inch drill bit to drill out a hole for the overflow spout, approximately 2 inches from the tip of the barrel. Insert the PVC pipe into the hole and secure it by screwing the twist-on connector on the inside part of the barrel, then seal the connection by applying a bead of silicone glue around the pipe on the inside and outside of the barrel.
3. Use the 5/8-inch drill bit to drill a hole approximately 5 inches from the bottom of the 55-gallon barrel. Insert the spigot into the hole and secure it in place by tightening the coupler on the inside of the barrel. Apply a bead of silicone glue around spigot on both the inside and outside of barrel.
4. Place the window screen over the top of the barrel and cut a piece to fit with scissors, leaving about 2 inches of overhang around the entire barrel. Mosquitoes are attracted to standing water; the screen is critical to keeping them out.
5. Place the wire mesh over the top of the barrel and cut it to fit with the wire cutters, again leaving about 2 inches of overhand around the entire barrel. Hit the edges of the wire mesh to crimp it under the lip of the barrel, which will secure the mesh and the screen in place.
6. Place the barrel under a gutter downspout on a flat, level surface. If necessary, use a shovel to level out the ground and place the barrel on top of two cinder blocks.
7. Cut the aluminum gutter downspout with a hacksaw so it is approximately 2 feet higher than the barrel. Attach the flexible downspout to the aluminum downspout and aim the flexible portion so it is directly over the barrel.
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