Alabama continues to deal with drought. Six months ago, about 20 percent of the state was drought free. Now in late July, the drought free area has dropped to a little more than 6 percent.
Water systems across the state have voluntary water restrictions. That means a lot of folks are wondering how to water their plants.
My colleague Eve Brantley says people can harvest rain and use it to water their containers and landscapes.
Brantley, who specializes in water resources and quality, says rain barrels are an easy and effective way to capture rainwater.
“It is fairly simple to modify existing gutter downspouts to divert water to rain barrels,” she says. “If a home doesn’t have gutters, people can install gutters themselves or hire a professional.”
Brantley says many people have no grasp how much water pours off their homes during even the briefest shower.
“If you have about 1,000 square feet of roof, more than 600 gallons of water streams off it during a rainfall of just an inch.”
Brantley says to utilize the harvested rainwater, rain barrels must have a spout near the bottom to attach garden hoses or to fill a gardening can.
“If you raise the rain barrel several feet, it is even possible to run a low pressure irrigation system.”
Rain barrels can be purchased. An Internet search will reveal hundreds of sources. But Brantley says they are a fairly easy do-it-yourself project with directions online.
“Sixty- to 80-gallon plastic barrels are a good size and are widely available,” she says. “If you use a barrel you already own, make sure it is sturdy enough to withstand holding water and has never held anything toxic, and wash it thoroughly.”
Brantley says the barrel will need some type of screen lid, keeping mosquitoes and trash out.
“The most difficult part of building a rain barrel is probably drilling the hole and installing the faucet.”
Collecting rainwater reduces homeowners’ water bills and reduces the strain on municipal water systems and wells.