Should You Use a Rain Barrel?
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by: georgewonderman
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Word Count: 494
Collecting falling water in a barrel or container is not a revolutionary new idea. The concept of a rain barrel and other types of rain catchers has been in use as long as agriculture... pretty much as long as civilization. In the last century or so, however, households have increasingly relied on municipal water systems. And collecting rainwater has taken a back seat.
Every household with a budget to follow (and some concern for the environment) cares about preserving water. But many of those very same people do not even know about the existence of a rain barrel. A rain barrel is a large, specially made container that is designed to catch rainwater. They do this collection at the drain downspout of your homes drainage system. When it rains, the rain that falls on your roof will go into the gutters, through its drain, and out its downspout. This allows you to collect large amounts of rain water as it falls.
How a Rain Barrel Helps the Environment
Less storm runoff. While rain is necessary for life, it can be bad for the environment. When it rains, the water that falls travels through our cities and streets before ending up on streams and creeks. As it flows, it collects chemicals, toxins, and other wastes. Routing some rainwater away from natural drainage reduces some of the tainted water that fouls up our rivers.
Improved water efficiency. Of course, the most significant effect of using a rain barrel is the reduced water usage. During the summer season a homeowner can spend as much as 40 percent of his or her monthly water bill on watering a lawn. Because of this, there are yearly water shortages in many cities nationwide, with rationing programs and overuse fines. If you collect rainwater, however, you can both keep your grass and garden green, and free up more water for your community.
Reduced power usage. We hear more and more about how important it is to reduce our energy usage to protect the environment. However, many people do not think of using power when they use the citys water. When we use water directly from our pipes, that water must be cleaned, filtered, and pumped all the way to us. There are countless processes in water processing that use up energy and, unfortunately, harm the environment.
You can reduce your water usage by thousands of gallons and have plenty of water handy for plants and odd jobs simply by using a rain barrel. Pretty much the only thing you cannot do with collected rainwater is drink it. Other than that, using a rain barrel is perfect for cleaning your Camaro, watering your camillas... and protecting the Earth. Sites Consulted Rain barrels Cheap rain barrel Rain barrel pump Making a rain barrel
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For more information on water conservation, click palmettorainbarrels.com.
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