Rain Barrels: How to Get the Water From the Downspout to the Garden

Getting Rainwater into your Rain Barrel

If you are going to the trouble of collecting rainwater, you want to make sure the most water drains into the barrel as possible. Here’s how to get the water from the downspout into the barrel without wasting a drop:

· If you have a flat-sided barrel, just cut off the downspout at an angle and insert it into the opening in the barrel.

· With round barrels you usually have to redirect the water from the downspout so that it flows into the barrel. A flex elbow from the hardware store does the job simply and easily. Or, you can buy a downspout redirector designed for rain barrel use. Once you bend it to the shape you need it will hold that shape.

· A Garden Water Saver installs on the downspout. When a sealed barrel fills up, backflow is created, sending extra water through plastic tubing and down the downspout.

· A downspout adapter or redirector reduces the opening of oversized downspouts from the 3” x 4” of newer homes to the standard 2” x 3” size.

From the Rain Barrel to the Garden

A water barrel is a reservoir. To use the water it holds you have to get the water out, obviously. But how do you do that? If you have a big enough opening you can dip a bucket or watering can into the barrel. If you have a spigot, you can run the water out through the bottom.

Attach a hose to the spigot and you can let the water run out on a section of the garden. Attach a soaker hose to the spigot and you can slowly and gently water a section of the garden. With the barrel raised up on a secure platform you can fill your watering can from the spigot.

What About Rain Barrels and Water Pressure?

Water barrels generate very little water pressure. Raising the barrel off the ground enhances the effect of gravity, creating a little more pressure. Using an adapter to reduce the downspout diameter increases pressure somewhat. If you really want pressure you need to use a pump. A small batter-powered electric pump or a hand-cranked pump will get the water out faster.

However, even with a pump you won’t generate enough pressure to operate a sprinkler. A massive rain gathering system such as a cistern with a pump may be able to generate enough pressure to operate a sprinkler, but a rain barrel can’t do it.