Cheap DIY Rain Barrel System

We always wanted to do a rain barrel system to water our garden but they were always very expensive. We don't live in the city, but we do have county water where we live and after getting a ridiculous bill on a particularly dry month... we decided to do a DIY system. We've been using it for about a year and a half now but because of some mistakes I made originally... we could only use 2/3 barrels I made.
If you found the video helpful, you can help support our channel and buy us a $2 coffee with a one-time donation at: buy.stripe.com/3csg2m8Za4z5bq...
In this video I show you how we made the system and what mistakes you can avoid that caused us to do some rework.
Overview & Design - 00:00
Build Instructions - 08:00
You can also find us at PurposeDrivenHomestead.com
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Items seen in video:
If you're going to buy any of these items from Amazon, consider making the purchase through one of our links. As an Amazon Associate we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Quarter Turn Spigot - amzn.to/3nTlWiK
Rain Barrel Kit - amzn.to/3hNRcfg
Uniseal - amzn.to/3EzmIaW
Hole Saw - amzn.to/3knbNc6
Porter Cable Drill - amzn.to/3nTmJ3c
You can likely find these last two at Lowe's or Home Depot cheaper
Brute Trash Can - amzn.to/3EyP84u
Brute Trash Can Lid - amzn.to/3hLtCQB
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#rain barrel #conservation #permaculture #homestead #gardening

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks so much for the fantastic support on our channel! If you found this video valuable, please click that subscribe button and give it a "like". It's a small thing for you, it's free, and helps out our channel more than you can imagine by allowing other people to discover the amazing community we have here on our channel. If you really want to go above and beyond, please share our video on your social media by using that little share button right under the video. Thanks for the support! - Patrick and Amanda

[@amandas7867]

Rain barrels are so expensive! I'm so glad I found this video, thank you!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Awesome! We were surprised at how much they cost which is why we went this route. Hope it helps!

[@SeattlePioneer]

I have not used ANY citiwater here in Seattle for 15 years or so. It drives the water department nuts. They have replaced the water meter a couple of times, and just last week they sent out a guy who turned on my outdoor hose faucet to see if there was water pressure on it. Nope! I use two plastic garbage can to collect water from two downspouts, and a 600 gallon steel tank for a third. In addition, I have six barrels of water covered and stored in my basement ----my "iron rations." I give rain an opportunity to flush debris from the roof before I start collecting water in the two outdoor barrels. Water comes from downspouts and I set window screens across the barrel to screen out debris. When I'm not collecting water, I have steel barrel covers for the outdoor barrels which protects water from insects and sunlight and such --- contamination. I move water into my house and fill the washing machine with five gallon buckets. I have no interest in fancy arrangements. The 600 gallon tank is for no potable water for the garden or washing machine. Once it was used by the US Navy to store aircraft engines. I got it from a scrapyard for $20 or so. So that's my "system." works for me, but I'm an old bachelor and don't need to please women, who would likely find my methods crude. I suppose they are, but they suit me!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thats awesome! It sounds like you have a pretty good set of water collection rules. Some aren't as lucky and would be holding a fine... lol

[@SeattlePioneer]

@@purposedrivenhomestead

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Love it!

[@amymello7481]

Very good. Looking forward to seeing the pump set up.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks so much for the comment! Its one of our projects for this year. Please consider subscribing with notifications so you don't miss it when we put it and other videos out (if you haven't already).

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Absolutely AWESOME! Thank You for sharing 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you so much for the comment and the kind words! If you enjoyed it, please consider dropping a like and also consider subscribing! We are planning on making another video this summer where we add on a solar panel, DC pump,, and battery to add some pressure to spray with, so you won't want to miss that!

[@valerieheath4560]

excellent. VERY VERY HELPFUL. thank you.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Excellent! We hope it helps you build your own rain barrel system! If it helped you, please give the video a thumbs up and consider subscribing if you like our other content. Have an amazing day!

[@darthslackus499]

I found yours to be the easiest and cheapest one to do. Going to try it. Thanks!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Awesome! We hope it works as well for you as it did for us! Don't forget to give the video a like to help us out!

[@AC-hy1xd]

Great content and perfect timing. I’ve been thinking about a rain collection system but hadn’t started my research yet. Thanks for the jumpstart.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

So glad it helped! The trashcans were the most expensive part of the build but they went through a Midwest winter last year frozen solid for a few weeks and weathered it great so I'm glad we chose them. I'm planning on doing an update pretty soon by adding a pump and solar power system to it. Stay tuned!

[@AC-hy1xd]

@@purposedrivenhomestead I wondered about how they held up with freezing weather. My husband and I are looking forward to the additional video updates.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

@@AC-hy1xd I'd recommend draining it for the winter, but we forgot and it wound up doing just fine. We'll drain them this year I think... or at least try. Lol.

[@nightstringers]

According to Rubbermaid garbage cans aren't made to handle the pressure of that much water. Glad to hear yours are doing ok .

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Can you share the link to where Rubbermaid mentions that? I'd be interested in reading more. I can only speak from our personal experience, but we've had these for years now and they often stay nearly full to the brim for months at a time and have even frozen during the winter and they've weathered it all in excellent condition. In reality, they still look new and haven't faded or cracked and it's been years now. We've really been pleased!

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

Good stuff, and a lot of info, thanks! This is a great video, and I am on my way out this morning to start cruising the restaurants, bread bakeries and Coca Cola bottling facility for the empty HDPE blue barrels. The closed head barrels are used more, as they hold liquids, but the open head ones if you can find them will serve the same purpose as your open cans, yet be sturdier (those trash cans are thin and get brittle) and food grade. While I realize this is for your garden, as mine will be, it's still good to be able to use this system for potable water should the need arise. I know that Jaxon was kidding about the used trash cans, but someone might take him seriously. I'm thinking commercial bakeries may have the open head barrels for flour and other dry goods. If I find some sources where they are free, I will post back with the info, as it will apply to your area as well. Another thing I will add, is a stainless steel kitchen strainer at the top (removeable), to catch some of the bigger particles and stones. Check it from time to time for slightly larger black stones, as they may be small meteorites. You might also put a smaller (5 gallon) catch barrel in first, to get the sediment that washes in. Kind of like in a still.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the comment and great suggestions! There are a lot of barrel types to your point, and I guess you have to shoot for works best in your scenario. I didn't prefer the blue ones that come from industrial use as much because I like to reach in and clean them out occasionally with dish soap and water. I had a friend use the blue ones from a clean food grade factory for his rain barrels and he found that once something gets in there... it's really difficult to get out. His are the typical kind that have the two white 4" screw in openings. The Rubbermaid barrels I used in the video are actually food grade (Rubbermaid switch all theirs to food grade according to their website) and they are also UV treated. I've had a couple of them outside for 6 years now and except for some dirt... they don't look any different now than the new ones I bought for the video. So the Rubbermaid trash cans I have aren't brittle at all after 6 years of being in the sun and they are food grade safe for potable water. That's one of the reasons I chose them. They do cost a little, so I totally understand if someone wants to go with a free version of the blue barrels. They are also good for other things (like food or grain storage) if you have the space to keep them. Yes.. I considered the "first flush" idea like you mention. In the end, I liked the ease of the universal adaptor off the downspout, so I went with that. I definitely see the utility, so I still think it's a great idea. I have decided that I'll put a sock filter on the inside, similar to what is done with a fish tank sump to catch the big particles. I also still plan on putting a sediment filter in as well once I add the pump as a secondary precaution to prevent anything from getting in the impeller.

[@SeattlePioneer]

I have rainwater collect trough window screen, which I set on top of the barrel. I'll skim off any floating debris with a strainer, and sometimes I'll pour water from one five gallon bucket to another through a strainer, or even through a bath towel serving as a filter.

[@ruthosullivan1852]

Thanks!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you SO MUCH! You are awesome! We are very happy that the video helped you. Please consider subscribing if you like our channel! Thanks again.

[@futurefolk9919]

Good info to have thank you for posting. My husband and I are working to become more self sustainable so a rain catchment system would work really well for us. He just built me a greenhouse so this year will be the experiment year! Only started to garden about 4 years ago and I learn something every season. ( Fingers crossed and 🙏 up that I can figure out greenhouse growing) Look forward to your filtering system video.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you! It's awesome to have a greenhouse to lengthen your season. I have a video idea in my mind to share how we passively heat our greenhouse. If you can... put your rain barrel system uphill from your greenhouse and garden. That way you can use gravity to water without any pumps or carrying water. In our case that wasn't possible due to our layout, so we'll be working on a solar pump system this spring.

[@SeattlePioneer]

So what are you growing, and what do you want to grow? They biggest gardening surprise for me is when cantaloupes grew in my garden. Volunteers from discarded cantaloupe seeds, I suppose. Tasted very well, too!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

We have a little of everything going. Almost too much to name. Potatoes, wheat, corn, Swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, carrots, collards, several types of beans, watermelon, cantaloupe, bell peppers, chilis, jalapeños, tomatoes, onions, garlic, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, black raspberries, peaches, apples, lavender, lemon balm, mint, sunflowers, pumpkins, cucumbers, butternut squash, and acorn squash. Whew... lol.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

@ FutureFolk Its coming! So much to do this year! Make sure you subscribe and hit the notification button (if you haven't already) so you don't miss a video! Thank you for the support!

[@SeattlePioneer]

@@purposedrivenhomestead Growing your own wheat sounds unusual. How did that come about, and how do you reap, thresh, grind and consume it?

[@goldmanfan504]

Came here from reddit - this is amazing!!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed the video. It would help us out if you gave it a "like" and fee free to subscribe to our channel if you find the content valuable. Thank you again for the kind words!

[@ajlecour1157]

What size do I need to make the hole for the spigot? Thanks for the awesome idea/video

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you so much for the comment and the kind words! Did you order the quarter turn rainpal spigot that we linked in the description? If so, then I believe the hole needs to be 7/8". If the spigot you ordered is different from the one we recommended, then you'll need to consult the instructions that came with your spigot. If you found our video helpful, it would really help us out if you could: 1) give it a like, 2) subscribe to our channel, and 3) please share the video link with others on social media! Thank you again!

[@RossWehner]

Thanks for the helpful content! Question for you- are you doing anything to purify the water before watering the garden? I am thinking I’ll make a rain collection system similar to yours for my vegetable garden but I worry that chemicals from the roof (rusty roofing nails, shingle chemicals, tar, etc.) will contaminate my food supply. These things to me seem unfilterable but instead will need chemicals like chlorine or iodine to combat. Is this something that you’ve looked into or something you could give advice on?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the comment and kind words! If you enjoyed the video, please consider subscribing, it helps our channel out dramatically. I think you have to evaluate what you'd be filtering for. The next step in the project (not sure I'll get to it this year since winter is almost here) is to add a sediment filter to the spigot in anticipation of adding a DC pump to increase pressure. If we were using it for drinking water, I'd definitely be exploring options like you mention (chlorine, etc.) however those are some of the very things you don't want to be spraying on your plants. If you had asbestos shingles, I'd be giving you different advice, but with standard shingles I think you're fine. The optimal solution would be collecting off of a metal roof, but most people don't have that option. Also, the concentration of asphalt, tar, etc. is going to be very low given the brief amount of time the water actually spends on your roof, so I wouldn't be concerned. You'd probably see much higher contents of chemicals in your standard city drinking water.

[@plu2601]

Thank you for the video and idea! Wondering if there is any alternative to PVC pipes. I like the idea and just want to minimize use of PVC pipes in the garden.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Just replied to your other comment... hope that helps.

[@montanaplants]

Great video, thank you! I have a couple empty trash cans, though I think only one is 55 gallon. Okay to use different sizes? In the winter do you take them apart and move them inside, or would you recommend that since I live in Montana where it freezes a LOT? We had so much rain this last weekend, I'm kicking myself for not doing this before then!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Hey @Montana Plants!!! Thanks for subscribing to our channel! Yes, you could use different size cans, but it might overcomplicate. When you link them together, the water level will rise to fill both equally. If you have the same size (diameter and height) it will rise equally and not overflow if the diverter is attached correctly. If they are different sized cans, then you'll have to compensate and make sure the height of the cans are the same but you might still have some problems with overflow. That's what I would be concerned against is the overflow potential of the smaller can. Regarding your question about freezing. We live in the Midwest and we routinely get down into the negatives for weeks at a time in the winter. The best practice in cold weather climates is to drain the barrels. The diverter I used and have the link to in the video description has a plug that can be put in during the winter to temporarily seal up the gutter. You can then take it back out in the spring and go back to collecting water. Having said that... if you use those Brute trashcans like we show... they are super tough. We've had our set up for maybe 6 years now and several winters I've forgotten to disconnect it. The barrels have frozen solid more times than I can count... for weeks at a time and there's been no damage to ours as they expand. I guess I'm saying that the correct approach is to drain the barrels and disconnect... but we've forgotten several years and the barrels have weather being frozen solid for all winter with no issues. I wouldn't suggest it... but it's happened. Hope that helps!! Please share with others on social media if you liked the video. It helps us connect with more people and grow the channel.

[@friendlygarfield]

nice work and great video just wondering - why not make a "1st flush " system to avoid junk from entering rain barrel ? then I also fitted stop valve between each barrel - so don't need to get into water to stop water flow connection

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the comment and the question! The concept of a first flush system is great. In this case, we wanted to do a simple version that people could just buy the equipment for an do with minimal effort. The universal downspout adaptor that we used isn't conducive to a first flush application out of the box. We may use a filter sock to help with some of that as a low tech solution and we also have a sediment filter that we can install as well. If you wanted to go that route by creating your own first flush system... it's definitely a great way to improve on the idea. The valves between barrels is also a great addition. When we take them apart next time we might wind up adding that feature! Thanks again!

[@plu2601]

Thank you for the video! I like the idea of using 2 inches PVC pipes to connect the barrels. However, I have read some where that PVC is toxic. We live in an area where the summer temperature is 110+ degree Fahrenheit. That would further heat up the PVC. Any suggestions for alternatives to the PVC pipes?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Hey there! Thanks for watching the video and for the comment. There's evidence out there that PVC isn't great for people, but most water is delivered from municipal water supplies via PVC. Bummer right? One potential solution is to use iron or stainless steel pipes between the barrels. I'm not sure where to find stainless steel pipes of a larger size like that, but check with your local big box home stores and go from there. The uniseals should still work... assuming you use the same size pipe. The whole thing opens up a rabbit hole and you'll have to decide how deep to go down. If you're worried about the toxicity of the PVC, then the plastic from rainbarrels, chemicals from the shingle roof runoff, paint from the gutters or on the metal roof. The whole thing just unravels fairly quickly. Obviously, do what you can afford.. but there's probably no way to mitigate all of the risk in the process. Hope that helps!

[@PrettyAliceNight]

Nice video! Where is the video with the sediment filter?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you for the comment! We ran out of time before winter set in and didn't get a chance to do it yet. Frankly we haven't seen much need for it thus far, but we still plan to add it for the pump just in case. We have the filter and all the solar pump gear ready to go for spring once everything thaws out.

[@PrettyAliceNight]

@@purposedrivenhomestead ok cool!

[@justinsamsel1230]

Do these downspout diverters ever get clogged by small leaf debris? Love the idea of using trash cans.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you for watching the video and for the comment! We haven't had any issues. What we've found is that if the leaf is small enough to get through the gutter and into the downspout, then it goes straight through. The diverter inside the downspout still has a hole in the middle and only collects water from the outside edges and anything larger than what it can hold simply overflows into the larger center hold of the collector. Quite ingenious actually. The connector tube is slightly larger than the inlet inside the downspout, so if it makes it in the inlet, it shouldn't clog the diverter tube. We've had ours in place for years now and have never had a clog yet... mileage may vary obviously. Hope that helps!

[@justinsamsel1230]

@@purposedrivenhomestead thank you for the response. I love the setup and will look to use it at my new home soon.

[@jaxon.roller]

This is awesome! Now I'll be on the lookout for used trash cans haha You mention at the end you'll be adding a sediment filter onto the spigot. Any reason you want to go that route instead of a first-flush diverter/filter before the intake?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Used trash cans are a great option... just always be wary of what might have been in them previously (chemicals, poisons, etc.). Even just using the water on our garden, I wanted to make sure I wasn't throwing poison into our nice organic garden space... but you might find something that's clean and used I suppose. The diverter kit we purchased doesn't have a "first flush" type of set-up, so that's not possible as-is. I do plan on adding a type of DIY sock filter for the water entering the first barrel. However, I don't know how well that will work and I know the sediment filter will work for sure, even if it's a secondary backup filter. The goal is that I want to have clean water going into the pump I'm going to add. That way I don't worry about any errant trash jamming up the impeller of the pump. I suppose I could rig up a "first flush" PVC deal after the spigot, but the sediment filter is plug and play and I feel like I'd probably over engineer my DIY first flush... LOL.

[@SeattlePioneer]

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

We may wind up adding a nylon sock or similar pre filter off the hose coming in. The setup we used doesn't lend itself to a first flush option, but that's an option for sure... for those inclined to modify our design. We decided to do a version that would be easy for others to repeat, especially if they've not done a lot of DIY projects before. I wouldn't use the rainwater as drinking water unless there was some type of emergency, but in the event we needed to, I'd also filter it with something additional if that was the case as well as using either iodine tablets or a small amount of chlorine bleach to treat it before drinking.

[@kimberlybain9143]

do you have a filter on the downspout? I have a lot of cottonwood debris. If so, recommend?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

We don't have a filter on it, but would recommend it if you have a lot of debris. We're planning on doing a second video on this soon where we make a few of those recommendations based on people's feedback. A simple version could be something as basic as a nylon hosiery or possibly an aquarium sock filter. Our next video will include putting on a solar pressurization for using spray nozzles and such as well as a sediment filter. If you have a lot of debris however, the sediment filter might not be the best choice. We'd love to have you subscribe to our channel if you're interested.

[@kimberlybain9143]

@@purposedrivenhomestead Thanks for the reply! Subscribed.

[@pxyvision001]

The PVC pipe size/length is not listed. We can assume a lot but it would be nice to have it listed in the materials list.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the comment and the suggestion! We mention a little after the 7min mark in the video that it's a 2" uniseal and that we're using a 2" PVC pipe, but you're right that it would help to have a materials list in the description. We may go back and update it to include a list. The length is probably more of a "case by case" because it all depends on how much space you want between your barrels for your setup, but I believe (from memory) that our PVC connecting pipe was about 24 inches long between barrels. Thanks again for the feedback and suggestion!

[@ConnecttheDotsBaby]

Just in time! I've watched so many rain water collection systems. You know you could use a pool vacuum to clean the residue in the bottom of the barrels. I have a cheap one. They work better than the expensive one's. Question in case of an emergency is this plastic food grade?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks so much for the comment! Yes, on the Rubbermaid website it lists these barrels as "food grade" so in an emergency situation, I wouldn't hesitate to harvest the water. Now there are quite a few states thatbhave restrictions on that, so check local codes. Obviously in an emergency you do what you have to though. The pool cleaner is an interesting option. We just wind up dumping ours at the endnofnthe season or if the water get low we can shop vac it out. Consider subscribing to our channel.. we plan to add a solar setup for pressurized water... that way we can use a garden sprayer. We also plan on putting a filter system in.

[@SeattlePioneer]

[@ConnecttheDotsBaby]

@@purposedrivenhomestead I'm subscribed 👍

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thats awesome! Thank you for the support!

[@sheri023]

Do you remove the pipe links sometimes, like when you want to drain and clean the barrels? and if so will the pipes and barrels seal well afterwards when you reattach the barrels?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Hey Sheri... thanks for the question! We've only removed the pipes when we've "moved" the barrels. When we clean the barrels (the best time to do this is right before winter), we drain them out until only an inch or two of water is remaining. Then we disconnect the hose from the downspout and flip the barrels on their side all at the same time while they are still on the wooden stand you see in the video. You have to stand out of the way and kind of do that from the side so that the remaining inch or two of water doesn't get you or your shoes wet. Once on their sides (still connected with the PVC pipes between barrels) any sediment drains out with the remaining water. Then you can use a water hose to spray them out and get them as clean as you like. Once done, we flip all three water barrels back up in unison (still connected at the bottoms) and reattach the hose from the downspout. That fast... and you're back in business and can capture more rain water... Hope that helps!

[@sheri023]

@@purposedrivenhomestead thank you!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

It's our pleasure! If you enjoyed the video... please drop a like to help us out and consider subscribing if you like our content!

[@robnic52]

Great, really helpful video thanks. One tiny request, I am slightly deaf, for me the exciting rocky background music is a fraction loud, it partly drowns out your detailed explanations. Great info, I'm going to build this.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you so much for the kind words and feedback! Yes we're still new at the video editing process, so we apologize if the music drowns out the voice track. Still learning how to balance that in some of our newer videos. Once a video is uploaded to KZbin, I've not found a way to go back and edit things like music volume. We just did a new DIY video on building a Berkey water filter. Please let me know if you think we did any better with that one! Thanks again for the comment and consider subscribing if you likevour channel!

[@michaelmathers6739]

How do you account for overflow

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Hey... thanks for the comment and question! Fairly early in the video we talk about the diverter system we use and the fact that our platform has settled. There's a lot of detail in that section about the overflow. In short, if you set up the diverter correctly, then there is no overflow. The tops of the trashcans should sit above the diverter exit on the downspout, so when the trashcan water level reaches even with the diverter, the water will drain back into the downspout and won't overflow. It's quite elegant and simple actually. Go back and watch that section of the video again and it should help expand on what I just shared..

[@ConnecttheDotsBaby]

I bought this system and bought new eves with the leaf protection. I put it on my open patio cement. The first rain it leaked at the bottom tubing. Added silicone and fixed that. Second rain filled both garbage pails. The 3rd rain it's over flowing around the top rim of the 2nd pail. I assumed once full it would go down the downspout, but it doesn't. What should I do now?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Its easily missed in their instructions but you have to have the top of the trashcan at a height above the entry point from the downspout. I mention it early in the video that our system "settled" some in the soft dirt and we were going to have to raise it some. The top of your garbage can needs to sit at a height above where the tube is drilled into the downspout, otherwise water will always run into it because of gravity. The idea is that with your tube drilled to enter about 4 inches below the trash can rim, and the trash can rim a couple inches above the exit point on your downspout, once the trashcan fills to be level with the gutter connection, it will stop filling the cans. Water won't run uphill naturally, so thats the solution. Based off what you shared, you'll either need to raise your water barrels some or lower the exit point on the downspout. Either way, you need that exit point on the downspout to be a couple inches below the top of your barrels. Hope that helps! If not let me know and I can try again.

[@ConnecttheDotsBaby]

@@purposedrivenhomestead My system is setup exactly like like yours, so I don't know what I missed. It looks like I need to disconnect it when it's full, because I have a flood on my patio. It's to late to raise the barrels higher, when they are full of water. I'll have to wait until I use it all up. Thank you for responding so quickly. I appreciate that.

[@ConnecttheDotsBaby]

@@purposedrivenhomestead I've got really good new. You know the accordion pipe? I lifted it up above the entire system. Hopefully it will stay in that Position. If not I'll rig up something to hold it there. 👍

[@embwee]

any worries about the plastic being non-food safe, especially as it degrades?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks so much for the comment and question! We would only drink rainwater in an emergency situation, but for watering plants... I'd have no concerns. On the Rubbermaid website it lists these barrels as "food grade" so in an emergency situation, I wouldn't hesitate to harvest the water. We've had our barrels outside for about 6 years now and they still look brand new as these trash cans are UV resistant. Hope that helps!

[@siafulinux]

Is the plastic safe to use this water for drinking though?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you for the comment! We definitely don't advocate for this to be used for drinking water, we only use it for watering our garden. It's actually illegal in a few states in the US to harvest rainwater for drinking purposes, so we would always encourage people to look at that before harvesting for drinking purposes. Having said all that... if there was an emergency situation where water supplies were shut down or where power was off for people that have electric powered well water.... it's good to have a backup. If filtered and then either boiled or treated with chlorine bleach, I wouldn't hesitate to drink this in an emergency situation since the trash barrels are food grade.

[@siafulinux]

@@purposedrivenhomestead Thanks for responding. That's basically what I was wondering; if the plastic is food grade or not. Which is interesting that it is. If it wasn't I was wondering about some kind of food grade liner inside. Anyway, thanks again.

[@mikeso5963]

Is the trash can plastic food-safe?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Hey...thanks for the question! Please give the video a thumbs up and don't forget to subscribe if you like our content! Believe it or not, the Rubbermaid Brute cans are considered food grade safe. The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF as it's more commonly known today) has a listing of food safe storage containers, and you can find the Brute cans listed below as NSF/ANSI 2 certified. info.nsf.org/Certified/Food/Listings.asp?Company=40000&Standard=002

[@mikeso5963]

@@purposedrivenhomestead thank you

[@LetsProblemSolve]

What are the dimensions?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

What dimensions are you looking for?

[@LetsProblemSolve]

@@purposedrivenhomestead sorry, of your wood stand.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

@@LetsProblemSolve I didn't include the stand info in our video but it was about 3 feet deep, about 8 feet long. I chose the length so that I could have 3 water barrels and then also add a solar pump system later. I still need to do the solar pump part... but I have the room for when I choose to. The height of the stand will all depend on the slope of your ground and how high you want your water spigot to be. I suggest something about waist height for you. Hope that helps! If you enjoyed the video, please give it a thumbs up and don't forget to subscribe and share!

[@malk6277]

Just a note - if you're using the water for growing food, it could be a good idea to check if the trash cans are made from food grade plastic. With water sitting in them for months and being warmed by the sun, non food grade plastics will leach a fair bit into the water, and those chemicals will end up in your food. The trash cans in the video look like they might be made of polypropylene which I believe is safe, but best to check.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for reaching out! Yes... you can check out several other comments on this video with similar questions. We included a link to the Rubbermaid manufacturer and they indicate that all of their trashcans are made from food grade plastic. We actually checked on that before we decided to go down this path. Thanks again for the comment and for keeping everyone safe, but in so much as you can trust the manufacturers, this product is labeled as food grade.

[@malk6277]

@@purposedrivenhomestead Nice one. It took me a while to become comfortable with the idea of using any plastic in our home garden food chain but I got there! We have a polypropylene liquid fertiliser bin, and small water tank. We're looking at getting more water storage so your video was interesting. There isn't much savings using 5 Brute bins at the current price, vs using one big 1000L reservoir. But I do like the advantage of them being easy to access the interior to clean out. Still figuring this out! Thanks for the video.

[@anthonyhull3539]

you do not seem to be filtering your water.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Hey Anthony, thanks for the comment! Since we're using this as water for our plants, we have not put in a filter yet. I do have an inline sediment filter that I purchased in case I needed it, but so far there has been no problem. The spigot sits a few inches above the bottom of the barrel, so any sediment that collects sits on the bottom and when we dump them for the winter, it all comes out. We don't have any trees nearby so the trash at the bottom is very limited. If we had a lot of trees, then I'd think about installing a "first flush" component or possibly do a simple sock filter or nylon filter just to catch the big stuff. Hope that helps and thanks again for the comment!

[@jefflowe8803]

got my 4 for 20$ a piece

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

You got a great deal... that's awesome! Just make sure whatever ones you got are food grade like this Rubbermaid ones are. If you got the Rubbermaid trashcans for $20 a piece... you got a serious deal!

[@mikewatson6526]

Great video. The guitar in the background is annoying.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thank you for the comment and for watching our video! I'm sorry you didn't like the guitar music, I agree it was probably a little too loud. This was among the first videos we made on our channel several years ago, and we had just started doing editing. Our channel is small, so we edit everything ourselves and use free software, so the adjustments are pretty limited. If you check out some of our more recent videos over the last couple of years, I think we got a lot better on the editing side... even though we still use free software. LOL. Thanks again for watching!

[@Joe-xr3ir]

I wouldn't recommend using garbage cans. You will need to replace the garbage cans after a couple of years, especially if you live in an area that has freezing temperature. Find some 55gal barrels. They may take a little cleaning, but you will have a lot less issues. I have 2 barrels that are going on 20+ years.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the feedback. I'd say that is probably true if someone uses the cheap plastic trashcans, but our Rubbermaid trash cans are 5 years old now and still look brand new. If you check out the diverter we use in the video, it comes with a cover to seal it off during the winter when you detach the hose. Where we live it gets down to around -10F during the winter, so pretty chilly. The trash cans are food grade plastic, are UV resistant, and we use the water during the early winter to slowly drain them out by the time it gets to the point that it's staying hard frozen for weeks at a time. Last year we accidentally forgot to disconnect the trashcans for the winter and they stayed frozen solid all winter long. In the spring they thawed and they never skipped a beat. The trashcans are pretty tough and so far they've worked great.

[@maggiehumble7822]

Ok for watering. Not drinking

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

We definitely don't advocate anywhere in the video for this to be used for drinking water, only for watering our garden. It's actually illegal in a few states in the US to harvest rainwater for drinking purposes, so people would need to understand those rules also. Having said all that... if there was an emergency situation where water supplies were shut down or where power was off for people that have electric powered well water.... it's good to have a backup. If filtered and then either boiled or treated with chlorine bleach, I wouldn't hesitate to drink this in an emergency situation since the trash barrels are food grade.

[@SeattlePioneer]

> I've been drinking my rainwater for 15 years or so, and am happy with it. It suits me fine.

[@Jkisacky6]

Great explanation, but the music is really loud and annoying. We want to hear your voice without the constant noise

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the comment and the feedback. This was one of our earlier videos when we were using some very simple editing software and were still learning about editing in general. If you watch a few of our more recent videos, I hope you'd agree that the editing and the music is much better. We do this in our spare time and hope that you'll forgive some of our rookie mistakes as we all learn together. 😃

[@jerryskidlsd]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have your overflows up higher on the barrels? Nvm. I watched twice.

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Sounds like you saw that first part then where I talk about the platform dropping. If I would have put a small flat 2 inch cement block under it, it wouldn't have settled like it did. It's amazing how much weight those 3 barrels of water represent. When I originally set it up, the feed from the downspout was only marginally lower than the hole I cut in the downspout. So the water would run back into the downspout and not overfill the barrels. As it settled that difference became greater and the top of the barrels started having the capability of overflowing. We don't typically have any issues because we use so much water, but it's something I want to go back and fix at some point by raising the platform back up to where it was originally. Thanks for the comment!

[@sharriceowens913]

These trash cans are about $100 so not much cheaper than rain barrels

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Hmmm... where are you shopping? I looked up the 44 gallon Brute trash cans this morning after your comment and they were $57-$59 online at Lowe's and Home Depot. Maybe look at your local home improvement stores? Everything has gone up since we made this video due to ridiculous inflation rates. The rain barrels are way over $100 now. Its all gone up unfortunately.