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How to Capture and Store Rainwater

Harvesting rainwater is a great way to water your garden or provide drinking water for livestock in an eco-friendly way. The only specialized equipment one would need to perform such a task is a barrel with a spigot (similar to the drain valve on a beverage cooler) to store the rainwater in. Apart from that, all that is needed is an irrigation system to direct the water.

Things You'll Need

An angled surface
Raised platform to place beneath the angled surface
Barrel or enclosure with draining spigot
Digging/cutting implement

Instructions

Capturing Rainwater
- 1
  Select a location in which a downward slope leads toward a sharp dropoff; e.g., roofs of low-lying buildings, eroded hillsides, etc.
- 2
  Dig a furrow into the slope. In the case of existing architecture, consider manufacturing a gutter with a durable material such as PVC pipe. The furrow should be wide and deep enough that falling rain is directed downward within the confines of the furrow.
- 3
  Place a barrel beneath the angled surface so rainwater flows in from the furrow or gutter.

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