Homemade Rainwater Collection System

Homemade Rainwater Collection System

A rainwater collection system gathers and stores rainwater that can later be used for household needs like watering plants or washing a car. The rainwater is diverted from a roof into a barrel or large container or even several containers. Constructing the system is not hard to do and does not require a lot of expensive material. Does this Spark an idea?

Fitting the Lower Drain

You need to make a lower drain in the barrel or drum. To do this, measure about 1 inch from the bottom of the barrel just about where the curve running along the rim ends and the side of the barrel begins. Drill a hole to create the drain. To create threads in the hole, screw in a PVC male adapter. As it is screwed in, it cuts grooves into the hole. The drain has to be sealed to prevent leakage, so remove the adapter and wrap the threads with Teflon tape. Coat the adapter with waterproof sealant and put it back into the hole. This needs to dry for 24 hours. Attach a garden hose to this coupling for using the rainwater.

Creating a Filter

The atrium grate creates a filter for large debris. Use the grate as a measuring device to cut a hole in the top of the drum. Center the hole in order to allow the barrel to pivot without moving the downspout. Do not make the hole too big, or the grate will not fit tightly enough to be secure. To filter smaller pieces of debris, add a fine mesh window screen to the inside or the outside of the atrium grate. This will also aid in the control of mosquitoes.

Adding an Overflow Drain

To provide an overflow for the rainwater collection system, make a hole somewhere from the middle to the top of the barrel; it should line up with the lower drain. Place a large male coupling in the hole from the inside of the barrel. On the outside of the barrel, attach the female counterpart. Don't forget to use silicone on this section as well. For the overflow, use drain hose on the fitting.

Setting up the Rainwater Collection System

Elevate the rainwater collection system to at least 15 inches above ground, as the system uses gravity to operate. The available rainwater will flow from the hose when it is placed below the barrel. Attach the gutter elbow to the downspout to divert the rainwater into the barrel.

Tags: atrium grate, Collection System, Homemade Rainwater, Homemade Rainwater Collection, into barrel