17/08: Inexpensive Rain Barrel Ideas
Category: General Green
Posted by: Mason
Barrels for collecting rainwater from roofs can get expensive. There are a few other cheaper options worth looking into if you are tight on cash like me.
1. Municipalities and Water Utilities
Many municipalities these days are encouraging water saving devices like rain barrels, and as a result, often give them away for free. They probably have a limited supply or may only offer them on certain days or at specific events. They may refer you to the water utility company.
2. Non-profit Organizations
If your municipality has no advice, then check out non-profit environmental organizations. They may have giveaways or know of places where you can get free or inexpensive rain barrels.
3. Car Wash
I’ve heard that car washes may have 55 gallon barrels that can be retrofitted as rain barrels but have never investigated it myself. I’ve also heard that they recycle them back to the supplier, but it never hurts to ask.
4. Feed Supply Store
If you live in a rural area, then another resource to try is the feed supply store where grains might be sold in large containers suitable for rain barrels.
5. Food or Beverage Manufacturing Facility
I’ve heard that in Atlanta, GA people can get 55-gallon drums from the Coca-Cola bottling plant for free. This may hold true for other food and beverage manufacturing or bottling facilities.
1. Municipalities and Water Utilities
Many municipalities these days are encouraging water saving devices like rain barrels, and as a result, often give them away for free. They probably have a limited supply or may only offer them on certain days or at specific events. They may refer you to the water utility company.
2. Non-profit Organizations
If your municipality has no advice, then check out non-profit environmental organizations. They may have giveaways or know of places where you can get free or inexpensive rain barrels.
3. Car Wash
I’ve heard that car washes may have 55 gallon barrels that can be retrofitted as rain barrels but have never investigated it myself. I’ve also heard that they recycle them back to the supplier, but it never hurts to ask.
4. Feed Supply Store
If you live in a rural area, then another resource to try is the feed supply store where grains might be sold in large containers suitable for rain barrels.
5. Food or Beverage Manufacturing Facility
I’ve heard that in Atlanta, GA people can get 55-gallon drums from the Coca-Cola bottling plant for free. This may hold true for other food and beverage manufacturing or bottling facilities.
scott wrote:
One rain barrel is not necessarily as good as another--many have very poor ways to manage excess flow (overflow). A garden-hose size hole cannot handle enough overflow. The result is that water ends up in your basement or underneath your siding.
Water utility--I'm not aware of any that give them away, but often they are subsidized and therefore quite cheap.
Car wash--yes, but the barrels have been used for chemicals. Know what you are getting.
Food/beverage: a great source, though not all will want to deal directly with the public on it. You may have to buy them (they have value by the pound as scrap--$5 to $15 seems pretty typical). Some may give them away as a service to the community.
Our system is available to communities around the country (public agencies or private non-profits). If you know an organization that wants to do a rain barrel program, we're happy to help. http://www.rainreserve.com.