Do you want to save water, and that your lawn or garden is healthier and more ecological? Use rainwater that falls on your home by collecting it in a tank. Rainwater is not drinkable and cannot be used for cooking, but it is fine for watering plants or washing the car. The basic idea is to install a bin with a tap under a downspout of your home's gutter to extract the accumulated water. You can make an inexpensive tank using materials commonly available at home improvement stores. The resulting economic and environmental savings will over time compensate for the work required for construction and the initial cost of materials.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Part 1: Planning and Preparation
Step 1. Choose a suitable place for installation
It may turn out to be less easy than it first appears.
- In general, you can place the bin under one of the downspouts in the gutter, but make sure the overflowing water has a suitable drain if you don't want to flood your garden or home.
- A bin full of water can weigh more than a couple of quintals, so make sure not to place it on supports that cannot bear its weight. Take precautions so that the bin does not cause damage if it overturns.
Step 2. Determine the size of the tank
Typically, they depend on the extent of your garden, but the standard size is 55 gallons, just under 250 liters.
Step 3. Choose the right material
You can use plastic, rubber, or even wood or metal. A wooden barrel can give a rustic feel to your garden look, but it might be more practical to use if it was made of rubber or plastic. Either way, make sure the tank of your choice is airtight and treated so it can hold water for long periods without leaking, rusting, rotting or even releasing chemicals inside.
Step 4. Thoroughly clean the inside of the tank
This shouldn't be a problem if the tank is new, but be sure to remove any debris that may be inside.
Step 5. Here is the final result:
a rainwater tank is nothing more than a large bin with a hole in the upper side for the entry of water from the downspout, a filter to trap debris and insects, at the bottom a tap to connect a water pipe or fill a bucket, and if necessary a device at the top to check the maximum filling level.
Part 2 of 5: Part 2: Prepare the Water Entry Hole
Step 1. Cut an opening in the lid of the bin with a hacksaw
The opening must have adequate dimensions to allow the rainwater to flow without difficulty. A 10-15 cm hole should suffice; it may also be larger depending on the diameter of the debris filter.
If the lid of the bin is thin enough, a sturdy utility knife may suffice to drill the hole
Step 2. Put the filter in place
It is important that debris such as leaves, twigs but also insects or small animals cannot end up inside the tank.
- By the way, you can install a protection on the inlet hole, or more simply use it so that it covers the entire opening of the barrel, holding it in place with the lid. Avoid metal nets that can rust and remember that the meshes must be tight enough to prevent the passage of mosquitoes.
- Alternatively, you can use a special debris filter. The advantage is that these types of filters do not clog easily, and are made so that they can be pulled out to remove accumulated debris to make maintenance easier.
Part 3 of 5: Part 3: Creating the Faucet
Step 1. Make a hole for the faucet
It must be as close as possible to the bottom of the tank, but at a height sufficient to allow a bucket to be filled. Use an electric drill. A ¾”hole should work for most taps suitable for connecting the garden hose, but to be safe, do not drill the hole before you get the tap.
Step 2. The tap thread must be tight
Wrap a few turns of Teflon tape on the thread before attaching the tap.
Step 3. Insert the faucet into the hole and seal it
Screw on the faucet and secure it with a nut of suitable size. Finally, seal everything with silicone or by adding more Teflon tape.
Part 4 of 5: Part 4: Doing the Pose in Opera
Step 1. Determine at what height to place the tank
The requirements are: the tank must be close enough to the downspout drain to facilitate water entry, while at the bottom you must have enough space under the tap to insert a bucket when you need to fill it.
Step 2. Make a foundation with concrete bricks
Four concrete blocks juxtaposed together should suffice if the ground is level. You can also use bricks. In any case you must make sure that the base is absolutely stable, to prevent the tank from tipping over.
Step 3. Remove the bottom last section of the downspout so that you can put the bin in its place
It may be that adjustments to the drainpipe and maybe even the addition of some bends are needed so that it can be positioned correctly.
Step 4. Place the tank on the plinth
Check that it is firmly in place, that it is stable and does not run the risk of tipping over. Turn it so that the water inlet hole receives the downspout drain.
Part 5 of 5: Part 5: Prepare the drain for the overflow
Step 1. Drill a hole in the side of the bin, near the lid
Five centimeters under the lid should suffice. When the tank fills up, it is good to have a drain valve to let the water out in a controlled way, otherwise it will overflow from the lid.
Step 2. Screw in the valve and secure it in place
As with the faucet, use gaskets and Teflon tape to seal.
Step 3. Connect a length of garden hose to the valve and arrange it so that the water that comes out of it goes into a drain or drain
That way, when the water comes out, it won't end up flooding your garden.
You can also put the barrel in a second bin. In this way, when the first is full, the water flows into the other. In any case, the tank at the bottom of the chain must have a suitable drain
Step 4. Finished
Advice
- In the United States with this water-saving system, some communities pay or grant a local tax credit to those who install a rainwater tank.
- Inspect your rainwater tank often to make sure the lid is tightly closed, and remove leaves and debris from the inlet filter. Don't forget the open lid: open water deposits are dangerous for children and animals. Remember that it is possible to drown even in a few fingers of water.
