Rainwater is FREE, So Why Not Harvest It? Check How With These 10 How-Tos!
Around 600 gallons of rainwater can be harvested from about one inch of rain if it falls from a thousand square foot roof. Doesn’t that sound like a lot of water that you could harvest and use for free?
It is a great way to water your livestock, vegetable garden, flowers, and some even use it for drinking.
We want to bring you a list of ideas on how you can catch your own rainwater.
But before we begin, we want to cover all the bases. First, be sure to check with your local ordinances before harvesting rainwater. Some have gotten a little particular recently about this.
Second, before drinking rainwater be sure that you have thoroughly researched the purifying process in order to protect yourself from possible illness.
Why Harvesting Rainwater?
Before we begin to the main part of this article, here’s a nice infographics by CustomMade explaining why you should collect rainwater at home and how to do it properly.
1. The Better Home DIY Rain Barrel
This rain barrel is very simple to make. It requires only a garbage can and a few simple hand tools. And it also has a way to filter large debris from your rain barrel as well.
So this water catchment source would be great for smaller items like watering a small garden or some flowers. And it wouldn’t take up much space so it wouldn’t draw a ton of attention on your property.
Build this water catchment system.
2. The PVC Rain Barrel
I love this rain barrel option. I’m probably partial because we have a few of these set-up around our property. They are very sturdy and work great for storing lots of rainwater. I actually use them to water my livestock.
However, what makes this tutorial so great is the fact that she not only includes details on how to build it. But she also includes details about the mistakes she made and how you can learn from those mistakes to have great success with you DIY water catchment system.
Build this water catchment system.
3. The Cheap DIY Rain Barrel
This rain barrel is made out of a trash can. Therefore, it is pretty inexpensive to make. And according to the site, it works better than most. It looks very easy to build too.
So if you want to collect your own rainwater but are also on a budget then consider this option. It looks pretty good from a visual standpoint too. So this option equates to functional and pleasant to look at. You can’t go wrong with those classifications.
Build this water catchment system.
4. A Trash Can Rain Barrel
Lots of people make cost effective rain barrels out of trash cans. But I really liked this tutorial because it is very thorough, in my opinion. And she gives a great picture of a very nice, neat looking finished product.
However, the coolest part is that it is all done by picture. So that is great news for someone looking for something simple. No words are even required for this product. But you get helpful step by step pictures which is great for the visual builder.
Build this water catchment system.
5. The Medium Sized Rain Water Collection System
This is not your average backyard system. Nor is it something everyone would probably even want. But if you live on a larger piece of land and need ample amount of water to keep your livestock or garden going then this system would certainly be helpful.
So this option actually requires its own shed to cover the large water tank. They have a solar purification system running to it. And it is a larger project than some others mentioned. But if it would work for you then certainly consider doing it. A larger project often creates a really awesome product.
Explore this water catchment system.
6. The Massive Water Catchment System
This particular water catchment system is being used out in the desert for an earthbag home. It could be a DIY project but would take a lot of know-how.
So if you are someone that is looking for a huge water catchment system to use for drinking water and to water a large homestead then this might be a good option for you. It would be more costly probably. However, you might just deem it worth the price once you experience the benefit of supplying your own water.
7. DIY Filtered Trash Can Rain Barrel
This trash can rain barrel takes things one step further than many. They show how to filter the barrel from any debris entering into your system. This is great as it prevents clogs. In my experience, there is nothing more annoying than trying to water your prize winning petunias and the hose gets all clogged up.
So if you are with me in that notion, give this tutorial a quick glance. You might find that you really like it. It should be budget friendly as well since it is built out of a trash can.
Build this water catchment system.
8. DIY Rain Barrel Video
This is another great tutorial on building a rain barrel. It is a great option for those that live in an area with strict regulations for your property. They show you how to disguise this rain barrel so it will blend in with your property.
So if you need a pretty rain barrel then this might very well be what you’ve been searching for. Not to mention, they give you a detailed video to show you how to complete this project. Sounds like a great project to me.
Build this water catchment system.
9. Stand Alone Rain Water Collector
This is a really neat idea if you want a simple rain collector. You’ll just take a water tank and basically, put a large funnel on it.
And that way when it rains, it’ll channel all of the rain water into your tank so you don’t miss as much. It is really a rather ingenious thought, if you ask me.
Build this water catchment system.
10. The Fencewell Water Tank
When I saw this my immediate thoughts were, “How cool!” And it really is a neat idea for a water tank. But this is not a DIY option.
However, if you are someone that would like a water tank that won’t take up much space and could even be used as a fence then you might really enjoy this water tank idea. It is very different, to say the least.
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