Rain Barrels and why you want one

Originally posted 2017-04-04 23:51:23.

If you live in one of the western states, like I do, there can be stretches for what seems like months where we get nothing in the way of rain.  This lack of precipitation is hard on our gardens, and our landscapes, and can bring about very real wild fire danger.  So, for those of us that aren’t blessed with continual rain (looking at you, Seattle)  there are luckily some common sense steps you can take in order to harvest rain water for later use.  The most important item you can have to accomplish this are rain barrels.

Rainwater tanks are commonly called rain barrels in the United states and water Butts in the United Kingdom. These large barrels generally placed strategically under gutters to collect water run off from the roof of houses.  The collected water, in turn, can be used for a variety of needs, from watering your garden, flushing your toilet, and if push comes to shove, drinking and cooking.

Rain barrels are newly legal in my home state of Colorado – the new law took effect in the summer of 2016.  I always thought it was a little ridiculous that it had been outlawed in the first place!  The reasoning behind the ban has a lot to do with our water laws, which are governed by prior appropriation doctrine.  I’m no water law expert, however!    To read more on the Colorado rain barrels law you can click here.

While rain barrels may seem a little expensive at first, they are greatly useful and can be a simple source of surplus water in tough times.  You will want to ensure your system has an adequate way of screening out mosquitoes, otherwise your rain barrels could become a breeding ground for our little blood sucking nemesis.   There’s plenty of styles available, from purely functional to highly decorative.   Check out some of the rain barrels available below, and consider adding one to your preparedness supplies!