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Rainwater collection & distribution system

by mark11photography on May 2, 2009

Table of Contents
Rainwater collection & distribution system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: Rainwater collection & distribution system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Get your materials and tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Build the stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Prep the pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: Determine your fall line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 5: Attach the pipes to fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 6: Plumb the barrel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 7: Connect the valve assembly to the watering pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 8: Connect to your eavestrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 9: Test the connections for leaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Intro: Rainwater collection & distribution system

This is a custom system I designed to collect the rainwater coming off my roof and have both the ability to store the water and distribute it without attaching any
temporary piping. My apologies in advance that I don't have pictures showing the step by step construction - I only discovered this site last night!

Step 1: Get your materials and tools

It's a pretty simple collection of materials - most of which can be found at your local hardware store. I did a little hunting around to find an appropriate rain barrel - ended
up getting one from an eco-store here in Calgary.
Materials:
6 - 2x4 studs (each 8 feet long)
Approximately 100 - 3" long deck screws
55 gallon rain barrel
Sections of 2" central vacuum tubing (could substitute plumbing PVC or ABS pipe, but they cost 2x or 3x the price). Length determined by the distance you need the
water to travel - I needed 6 sections.
Assorted couplings, end caps, 90 degree elbows, 2" ball valve, 1 'Y' section, and two threaded adapters to connect into the rain barrel.
2" plastic straps to affix the pipe to fence.
1 10' length of 3" pvc pipe & assorted 3" couplers/elbows
Silicone cauking
Optional stainless steel screws (or substitute the deck screws)
PVC/ABS Glue
'C' shaped straps - number depends on the length of your delivery pipe
Tools:
Power drill
Saw (I used a mitre saw, but a hacksaw would work)
Measuring tape
Level
String

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Step 2: Build the stand

I didn't have any set plans, but I knew I wanted to build something that wouldn't fall apart under the weight of the water-filled barrel. A 55 gallon barrel of water weighs
over 200 kilograms. Also, if the base sags, the connections will be stressed, so make the base of the legs wide to support the weight.
I built mine out of 2x4's, roughly 2'x2'x2'. The barrel I purchased (side note - these can be obtained quite inexpensively, just make sure what they used to contain wasn't
toxic) had a spigot attached, so I had to accommodate that during construction. I had to be careful to make sure the lengths were correct (measure twice cut once), and
that the joints were square. Take a bit of extra time and it will stand up much longer.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Step 3: Prep the pipe

In this step I prepared the lengths of pipe by drilling a 1/2" hole every foot along the pipe - be sure that they are all in line.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Step 4: Determine your fall line

I have a 40' section of fence I wanted the pipe to travel, so I put a screw in the fence at the level the water would be exiting the barrel, and then a second screw in the
fence where the pipe would end. I then took a string and attached it to both strings to find out what the fall would be from the barrel. From this line I put marks on the
fence where I would attach the pipe using the straps.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Step 5: Attach the pipes to fence

I attached the pipes to the fence with some plastic 'C' shaped straps - found them in the electrical section of the hardware store. Then, using the ABS/PVC glue I
connected the end cap, and then pipe-to-pipe with couplers - almost all the way back to the barrel.

Step 6: Plumb the barrel

This step proved to be a bit more complicated than I expected, mostly because I was using vacuum tubing/connectors on one side, but to connect to the barrel the only
pieces I could find were for plumbing. Problem was, they were about 1/16th of an inch smaller than I wanted them to be. So after a bit of cleaning out the inside with a
dremel, I was back in business.
I designed this system to be able to store rainwater, but have a spillover pipe that would take any excess into the pipe system and away from the house. This spillover
pipe enters the main pipe on the opposite side of the valve (see pictures).
I cut holes in the barrel, as I was concerned that the small spigot wouldn't be able to handle any volume of water. I then attached the plumbing fixtures at the top and
bottom and used some silicone caulking to seal the connection. I then measured, cut, and glued the pipes, elbows, and valve assembly.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Step 7: Connect the valve assembly to the watering pipe

Pretty straight forward - helps to have a bit of leeway in your watering pipe (the one you drilled holes into). Use couplers if needed and the ABS/PVC glue.

Step 8: Connect to your eavestrough

I did this step a day after I did the other steps, and from one day to the next I learned that the 2" pipe capacity was just barely enough to handle any real volume of water
coming from the barrel. So, I opted for a 3" diameter abs pipe to handle the water coming from the roof. It was a little tricky getting the oversized fixture to attach to my
aluminum eave, but with some minor modifications I got it to work. Again, I used some silicone caulking to seal the connection.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Step 9: Test the connections for leaks

Finally, if you have a rainstorm nature will do this for you, but if not (as in my case) I used my garden hose. I learned that I had a small leak coming from the eave
connection - which I fixed once it dried out using some more caulking.
We haven't had any real rain as of yet, but I anticipate this system working just fine. I have some other rainwater collection and distribution ideas to try out - and will
document each step.
Feel free to email me if you have questions: mcrs@mark11.com - let me know if you have suggestions regarding float activated, solar powered pumps that I could attach
to another rain barrel to distribute water.
Cheers

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

Rain
water collector
water tower w/
automatic
overflow by neffk

Comments
22 comments Add Comment

jimihendrix4753 says:

Dec 2, 2010. 5:35 PM REPLY

Righteous instructible! I was just wondering what the purpose of having the pipe fork into the one pipe leading to the greenery?

mark11photography says:

Dec 3, 2010. 7:14 AM REPLY

Jimi,
Very simply, the top pipe you see acts as a safety overflow. When the barrel fills to that point, it automatically drains to the free side of the valve and
away from the house. One of the reasons I installed this in the first place was to avoid water from the downspout collecting and leaking into my
basement. And after two years I can say it works perfectly.
Thanks for the feedback!
Mark

Buzzinski says:

Dec 2, 2010. 4:07 PM REPLY

I grew up drinking rain water collected from the house roof and stored in galvanised rain water tanks. We drank it unfiltered and still do. In Australia we treat
every drop of rain fall as precious and don't waste any if we can help it. Oh and nobody owns it except the people who collect it. I know you americans have
some strange ideas but when the New South Wales state government tried to claim all rainfall belonged to them it took less than an hour for the first legal
claims to be made against them for flood damage. You see if the 'own' the rainfall then they must be legally repsonsible for any deaths/damage 'their '
rainfall caused.
But, setting up a 55 gallon ( 208.20 litres) tank is a bit too small in my opinion. To create a decent storage system to say water an average garden you would
need in excess of 1000 litres for 3 month period. New homes built in Queensland since 2005 are mandated to include a minimum 1000 litre rain water tank
for no drinking purposes .i i.e. toilet flushing, clothes washing etc.

mark11photography says:

Dec 3, 2010. 7:07 AM REPLY

Buzz,
I completely agree with you on the quantity issue. Although this was an initial installation, I have multiple downspouts and have plans to set up similar
rigs at the other ones as well. The way I have designed this one is to do most of the watering automatically, or at the very most with the quick turn of a
valve. By spring I will have at least two other systems set up to store and distribute rainwater.
I'd love to have a rainwater system that I could use to supply water for other uses in my house, but it's not in the plans for now.
Thanks for the feedback!
Mark

Eye Poker says:

Dec 2, 2010. 3:15 PM REPLY

This may sound crazy but check your local ordinances, it could be illegal to catch rain because it BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE!
http://www.hcn.org/issues/40.18/a-good-idea-2013-if-you-can-get-away-with-it
In Utah, Colorado and Washington, it's illegal to do so unless you go through the difficult -- and often impossible -- process of gaining a state water right.
That's because virtually all flowing water in most Western states is already dedicated to someone's use, and state water officials figure that trapping
rainwater amounts to impeding that legal right.

mark11photography says:

Dec 2, 2010. 11:18 PM REPLY

EP - Definitely worth looking into, and a somewhat contentious issue no less. I live in Canada, and here they encourage people to collect rainwater rather
than use the city processed/filtered/distributed/fluorinated water.

mark11photography says:

Feb 8, 2010. 10:08 PM REPLY

Griff - I totally agree. One of those things that I would do differently if I made another. So far it hasn't been an issue, but it could buckle under the weight.

GriffAllen says:

Feb 7, 2010. 9:15 PM REPLY

wow i really like your design with the distribution! that just seems so much easier. just a thought on your stand... im sure the boards that the barrel is actually
sitting on are strong enough, but you might have a problem later down the road because they're screwed/nailed under the cross supports instead of on top of
them. if the whole thing is outside and it gets wet and you have that much weight in the barrel, it could actually pull them out, but if they're on top of the cross
supports the only way you'd have a problem is if your boards break... just a thought ;)

salinascarlos says:
How about water from the washer can u use it on the lawn

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/

May 19, 2009. 12:42 AM REPLY

mark11photography says:

May 21, 2009. 6:25 PM REPLY

I'm not sure - but I can't think that the soap residue would be very good for the lawn/garden. There might be an organic soap that might work. I've heard
of people collecting grey water (water from shower/sink) to reuse, even going as far as showering with buckets. If you do a search on this site you can
find a foot-controlled shower lever that would save a ton of water. Cheers, Mark

plumber4 says:

Sep 11, 2009. 5:17 PM REPLY

If you use "soap nuts" for washing laundry, your gray water would be safe for your lawn.

gernboken says:

Jun 24, 2009. 7:32 PM REPLY

i may be wrong but i think most commercial detergents have stuff in them that plants actually like, nitrogen and phosphorous, stuff like that. it's my
understanding that this is why gray water dumped into lakes causes algae blooms. the chemicals in detergents are similar to the chemicals in
fertilizer. i'm not an expert and i may be off target. but i know that i've read that dishwasher and laundry machine gray water is safe for your garden.

pickford78 says:

Oct 8, 2009. 10:52 PM REPLY

Some plants may like it but certain bacteria may not like it causing a imballance. Its best to use biodegradable soaps such as sunlight detergent I
think. I use sunlight detergent on not just dishes but my clothes aswell. It makes wool soft and I can use it on my plants. Another thing for grey
water is that you may want to filter it somehow.

rhaver says:

Jun 8, 2009. 1:53 PM REPLY

It's a nice setup, I really like your overflow design. If I went this route, I may add more to support the 455 pounds (206 kilos)... but that is just because I'm a
worrier and over do things!

theRIAA says:

May 2, 2009. 8:37 PM REPLY

cool. have you had any problems with leaves/needles clogging the pipes? I've always wondered about "rain barrels" because there wasn't a good way to get
the water where you wanted it (t was already on the ground), so people used pumps and stuff, but the cost of a pump and barrel and running the pump really
just ruins the idea. Some people say "saving water helps the environment"... not really, the only thing you're saving is the cost they put in to purify water,
water doesn't just "go away" when it goes down the drain. Spending money to buy pumps and plastic jugs is WAY worse than paying the nice water utilities
to deliver you crystal clear water. this is a GREAT idea.

naruto the ninja13 says:

May 11, 2009. 2:02 PM REPLY

well i agreee with you on saving water dosent really help the enviroment but the rain colection is just like to use as back up water for when the water
geos off during power outages or use it as and electricity free gravity powered way to flush your tolliet (or something :P)

austin says:

May 29, 2009. 3:38 PM REPLY

except for the energy used to purify the water, if you have a solar pump or no pump at all then it does help the enviroment. During a dought this also
helps. Water that might normally just runoff or return to the ground water is used.

mark11photography says:

May 3, 2009. 11:18 AM REPLY

Thanks for the comments. I've only had it up and running for a few weeks now, and am still waiting for our first real dump of rain. I was worried about the
leaves/needles issue and am open to trying a variety of screens/filters if needed. I did clean out the eaves prior to setting this up - just to help things
along. I guess you could attach the end cap with something you can remove and then flush things out with a garden hose. I partly did this project to move
water away from my foundation as much as anything - 50 year old house doesn't like water in the basement much! Also, the water piped to my house by
the city not only costs money, but has both chlorine and flouride in it as well - not great things for gardens.

zxcv says:

May 4, 2009. 4:30 PM REPLY

Nice. I like the overflow directly watering. I would suggest you have a screen on top your barrel and aim the pipe at a 45 degree angle or so at the screen.
The water coming out of the pipe will pass right into the barrel, but a leaf will hit the screen and be washed off by flowing water (hopefully.) Anyway it should
keep your barrel free of large debris.

mark11photography says:

May 5, 2009. 12:04 AM REPLY

Great suggestion - many thanks!

lemonie says:

May 3, 2009. 10:44 AM REPLY

Nice work. Do you get even watering along the length of the outlet-pipe? If your holes are small it's probably OK, but too big near the barrel and you might
not water so well at the furthest point? L I'd advise you remove the e-mail address (could get spammed), let people contact you through the site.

mark11photography says:

May 3, 2009. 11:12 AM REPLY

Lemonie - Surprisingly yes - it spreads out along the length of the pipe fairly well. I had considered some ideas of varying the hole diameter or even
where on the pipe they are located to ensure the water would travel the length of the pipe. Perhaps I'll try this in my next water project. No worries about
the email/spam issue - it's not my primary account. Cheers the RIAA - Thanks for the comments!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainwater-collection-amp-distribution-system/