Rain Barrel Roof Runoff

Collecting roof runoff in rain barrels reduces the amount of water that flows from your property.

Rain barrel roof runoff.

It s a great way to conserve water and it s free water for use in your landscape. For metal roofs the galvanized kind are prone to release of the heavy metal zinc. The system outlined below will walk you through the steps of determining your rain barrel sizes based on average roof runoff. If you re thinking about buying a rain barrel look for one with a first flush feature which stores the first five to 10 gallons.

Rain barrels capture water from a roof and hold it for later use such as on lawns gardens or indoor plants. The first flush water is the initial rainwater that drains off an impervious surface such as a driveway parking lot or roof and has been shown to have the highest levels of contaminants. As rain barrels proliferate and climate change squeezes summer water supplies there s certain to be increasing interest in using roof runoff to grow vegetables and fruits. The problem is that there has been little direct research using runoff to water edibles and checking them for contamination.

Also outlined are the steps to build your own rain barrel to collect water from your roof and downspout for all outdoor uses like watering and cleaning. Gardeners often collect water in a rain barrel with little to no protection from the roof s first flush of runoff. Many roofs are asphalt which are loaded with tar zinc and anti fungal agents.