Rainwater Catchment — Nomadic Organics

Here in drought stricken California we are looking forward to the first rain of the season, hopefully next week, if the weather forecast is right! While farmers rush to get their erosion controls in place, I've been busy fine-tuning my 600 gallon Blue Barrel rain catchment system by adding in a 'leaf diverter' screen to prevent blockage at the downspout inlet. This addition to the system should help to capture more of the precious water.

Cal, Ashley and Amber Vanoni of Santa Rosa, California help assemble the plumbing parts used to connect the rain barrels.

I built the system last summer with help from some friends, and we had a lot of fun doing it together! I used the handy kit available from www.bluebarrelsystems.com. This wonderful company helps you access food grade blue barrels for reuse and 'up cycling' anywhere in the USA. The modular kits with parts and fittings make it really easy and affordable to create a system perfectly suited to your needs. I completed my system for less than $1,500 ($2.50/gallon of storage capacity) including labor and materials. And I got partial rebate from the City of Santa Rosa as part of their water conservation incentive program to help offset some of the costs!

Twelve blue barrels plumbed in series for 600 gallons of storage.

Last winter the system filled up a total of four times (2,400 gallons!). It only takes about 4 inches of rain to fill it from half of the garage roof. So when another good storm was on the way, I irrigated my garden with the stored water and freed up the barrels to collect more. At the end of the rainy season I held back the water, and used it to water my veggie garden until August. It is difficult to store enough for the whole season, but every bit helps!

Veggie garden irrigated with rain water catchment system.

When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya in the 1980's I taught women and youth to build 'ferrocement' water tanks for rain catchment. It was exciting to apply my skills to my own home a few decades later. Working with Ashley and Amber reminded me that when we empower young women we can accomplish great things together! Simple, common sense solutions are universal!

Celebrating the completion of a ferrocement water tank in Kenya, 1986, with the women's group that worked together to build it. The group built a similar tank at the home of each member, freeing them from the daily chore of carrying water from … — Celebrating the completion of a ferrocement water tank in Kenya, 1986, with the women's group that worked together to build it. The group built a similar tank at the home of each member, freeing them from the daily chore of carrying water from the river more than a mile away.