rain barrel

[devohoneybee]

O Hai!

Does anyone have any experience with rain barrels? I'd like to get one, as we are about to have our rainy season and it would be great to use the roof run-off for my garden, or for emergency drinking water (after extensive filtering). I'm looking online and seeing a lot of styles and options. Anyone used one? What features, like additional spouts, links to second barrel, construction material, etc, are worth the additional costs? Thanks!

Comments

[alysswolf]

I would strongly recommend putting some kind of mesh cover over the barrel. Really, really strongly recommend. Fishing out a drowned squirrel from the rain barrel is not something I'd wish on anyone.

Back in the olden days a simple oak barrel would suffice but I gather things have become more complicated.