Make a Rain Collection Barrel
Many people like to take advantage of things that others take for granted, including water. Most people use water that has been treated and prepared for drinking when they could be using free rain water. Some states are advising their citizens to make use of a water collection system to help them get through times of drought when water is scarce. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Drill a 3/4-inch hole into the side of the barrel about 1 inch up from the ground. You can use a hole drill bit, or a large bit--either works. Don't go too low or you will have problems getting it to be waterproof since the barrel tends to curve at the bottom. Make sure you are drilling the hole into the flat side of the barrel.
2. Screw the 1/2-inch male PVC adapter into the hole. It should form some threads into the plastic. Unscrew the adapter and thread it with Teflon pipe tape. Coat the threads on the 3/4-inch adapter with silicon caulk for waterproofing sealant and screw it onto the 1/2 adapter. Screw the whole piece into the hole in the barrel, applying the silicone caulk to the outside edge. Allow it to dry untouched for a day.
3. Attach a hose with a shut-off valve to the outside of the male PVC adapter. Gravity will force the water out of the barrel and into the hose. If you elevate the barrel on a solid surface, you will be able to direct the water flow to more areas, unless your house is already more elevated than the rest of the yard.
4. Cut a 4-inch hole in the top center of the barrel. You can drill a 3/4-inch hole in the center of the area and then slide a coping or jig saw in to cut the rest of the circle. This is where you will insert the 4-inch atrium grate to filter the debris from getting into the rain collection barrel.
5. Insert the atrium grate and use silicon caulk sealant to seal it into place. If you are concerned about mosquitoes, you can insert a fine mesh bit of window screen into the grate. Now, direct the gutter from the roof to drain into the barrel. An elbow might be necessary to get the right angle off the gutter.
Tags: 4-inch hole, 4-inch hole center, atrium grate, hole center, hole into