Written by: Jan Dash, Colorado Master Gardener

Cisterns have been a part of western culture for centuries and were used even earlier in eastern civilization as far back as 4000 BC. More recently, homesteaders living off the grid have relied on rainwater harvesting for their survival, growing gardens, and watering their livestock. Because of our unique water rights in Colorado, we were not legally allowed to collect rainwater for personal use until House Bill 16-1005 was passed. The bill aims to protect the rights of senior water right holders under the prior appropriation doctrine – or the priority system. The oldest water right holders in Colorado are allowed to use their amount of water first – or first in time first in right. The bill provides a means for individual homeowners to use a portion of the rain falling onto their property while still allowing most of the precipitation to enter the system and be available to the senior water right holders. The Colorado Division of Water Resources webpage discusses the rules governing rain barrels (Colorado statutes Section 37-96.5-103, C.R.S.) and CSU Fact Sheet No. 6.707 discusses the rules and other important considerations about rainwater collection in Colorado.

So why bother with rain barrels at all? Considering that we all like free stuff, why not take advantage of the water falling from the sky and collect it in a rain barrel? It’s affordable, easy to set up, and satisfying to know that you’re putting that water from the roof to good use. Just be aware of the rules we must follow in Colorado to protect the senior water right holders.

HERE’S THE SPECIFICATIONS:

1. You may have two rain barrels with a combined storage of 110 gallons or less.
2. Rain barrels must have a sealable lid to conform to Colorado Water Law.
3. Collected rainwater may only be used to irrigate outdoor lawns, plants, or gardens.
4. Untreated rainwater collected from roofs is not safe to drink.
5. Some rural homeowners may apply for a special permit under Senate Bill 09-080 and collect rainfall from their roof for the same uses as their exempt well permit.

PLACEMENT

 Naturally, you want to catch the water coming off the biggest area of your roof. Select a downspout that is accessible yet won’t block your passage when the barrel is installed. One of my big mistakes in the first year was setting up the barrel in the backyard. It was out of the way, but all the beds I wanted to water were in the front yard! Also, be sure to raise the barrel high enough off the ground for a watering can or bucket to fit underneath the spigot. Another big mistake my first year was setting the barrel on bricks about a foot off the ground – I had a lot of trouble getting water out of the barrel until I raised it higher.

Make sure your platform is stable and large enough to accommodate the entire base of the barrel. As you can see from the pictures, a couple of layers of cement blocks work well to form a sturdy perch.

The photo above is Harvey Graski showing off Di and Hanks’s rain barrel.

MATERIALS

Most barrels are made of plastic. The key is to keep the materials lightweight. You can find many easy-to-follow videos online by googling ‘rain barrel DIY.’ Start with a 55-gallon plastic barrel (some companies and restaurants will give you one for free or a small charge), drill some holes, add some plumbing at the base for watering and an overflow port at the top, and you’re set. Or you can purchase a ready-made rain barrel from one of the box stores or an online retailer for less than $200. I also recommend one with smooth sides (barrel-shaped) like the one I have in the photo on the left. My first barrel was urn-shaped, which was pleasing to the eye but impossible to properly clean.

SOME PRECAUTIONS

1. To prevent rain barrels from becoming mosquito breeding grounds, it is important to follow several best practices. First, although any container can be used to collect rainwater, the container must be equipped with a sealable lid. Additionally, you can purchase mosquito pellets or discs to put in the barrel that will kill any mosquito larvae that might show up.
2. Secondly, the rain barrel should be completely emptied every month. Take your garden hose and give the barrel a good spray around the inside to dislodge any algae that have started to grow. Give it a good scrub with a long-handled brush and maybe even a splash of disinfectant to kill any germs. Run water through the spigot and the overflow tubing (if you have it). Rinse well and reinstall the barrel.
3. The water is heavy. One gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs., so 55 gallons of water weighs 458.7 pounds! Add the weight of the barrel and attachments and you could have 500 pounds falling on you if it’s not supported properly.
4. Be prepared to use the water you collect before the next rainfall. Depending on the size of your roof area, the barrel may fill after a ½ inch rain event – and it may rain again the next day. What to do with all that water? Put it in your 5-gallon tree watering buckets, give the garden an extra drink, water your hanging baskets, and any outdoor irrigation is allowed. You can also run the water out of the barrel and onto your lawn.

WINTER STORAGE

You should always remove the rain barrel in the fall. Take it apart, clean it thoroughly with a bleach solution and scrub brush, rinse completely, and dry it in the sun. Make sure the tubing and spigot are clean as well. I put the parts inside the barrel, seal the lid, and set it on the side of my garage out of the way until next spring. The first year I completely forgot and left my rain barrels set up through the first of February. That was an expensive mistake as one barrel filled with snowmelt, refroze, cracked the downspout, backed up with ice, and nearly pulled the gutter off the house. What a mess! At least I got new rain barrels to replace the urn-shaped ones that were too hard to clean.

I hope you learned a few facts from this article. Maybe you’re ready to get a rain barrel or maybe you’ve had them for years. Remember, it’s your water so use it!