Rain Barrels

Rain barrels capture water from a roof and hold it for later use such as on lawns, gardens, washing cars or indoor plants. Collecting roof runoff in rain barrels is helful in times of drought and reduces the amount of water that flows from your property. It's a great way to conserve water and it's free water for use in your landscape.  Rain barrels can easily be constructed or bought prefabricated.

​Note: Remember that as rain water flows over a roof surface it can pick up pollutants such as bacteria from birds and other animals, and chemicals from roof materials - factors to consider when thinking about using rain barrel water on edible plantings.

Rain Barrel Maintenance Tips

Caution is warranted when using harvested water to water a vegetable/herb garden to reduce the risk of exposure to a harmful contaminant like E. coli. Below is a list of recommendations for pathogen treatment and best practices for utilizing collected rain water to irrigate vegetable/herb gardens.
  • Rain barrel users should make sure to clean the barrel with a 3% bleach solution before collecting water to irrigate a vegetable/herb garden. Household, unscented bleach with a 5–6% chlorine solution can be added at the rate of 1/8 teaspoon (8 drops) of bleach per gallon of water. A typical 55 gallon rain barrel would need approximately one ounce of bleach added on a monthly basis. During periods of frequent rainfall, bimonthly treatment may be necessary. Wait approximately 24 hours after the addition of bleach to allow the chlorine to dissipate before using the water. Note that household bleach is not labeled for use in water treatment by the Food and Drug Administration although it is frequently recommended for emergency disinfection of drinking water (USEPA, 2006b).
  • When using harvested water to irrigate a vegetable garden, care should be taken to avoid getting water on the plant itself. Harvested rainwater should only be applied to the soil, possibly through drip irrigation. A watering can may be used, as long as the water does not get directly on the plant.
  • Water should be applied in the morning only. Produce harvesting should not take place right after watering in order to benefit from leaf drying and ultraviolet light disinfection.

Build your own

You can buy a rain barrel from a hardware store or an environmental conservation group. Or, you can follow the steps we'll show you and save money by building your own. That'll put some green in your wallet ... and in the environment.

rain barrel art project

Warren SWCD and other sponsors partner wtih Save Local Waters to sponsor the Rain Barrel Art Project every year.  Save Local Waters and the Rain Barrel Art Project aim to educate the public on environmental issues like storm water runoff, watersheds and water conservation. The Rain Barrel Art Project invites local artists to design and paint rain barrels that are auctioned off at the Cincinnati Zoo.  Learn more about the Rain Barrel Art Project by visiting Save Local Waters.  We encourage you to get involved by either submitting a painting design or by visiting the zoo for this colorful event!