Appreciation post: My rainwater collection setup was a cheap win and a soggy mess

I wanted to save some money on my water bill and be a bit greener for my garden. So I cobbled together a rain barrel from an old container and spare parts I had lying around. Got it all connected during a slow weekend, feeling pretty proud of my thriftiness. Then we got that downpour on Tuesday, and the thing filled up in like an hour. The makeshift drain I put in popped off, and suddenly my lawn had its own wading pool. My dog thought it was the best thing ever and started splashing around like a maniac. But seriously, I'm already seeing lower water costs, and the veggies got a free drink, so I'll call it a win.

2 comments

2 Comments

casey_gonzalez1d ago

That's awesome you're already seeing savings even with the hiccup! Your dog's reaction is hilarious. What was the weak point on the drain connection that made it pop off? Are you going to try a different hose clamp or maybe a thicker piece of hose for the next big rain? I'd love to know how you plan to fix it for good.

matthew_reed5023h ago

Probably needs a heavy duty clamp instead of the cheap hardware store one. That flimsy thing never stood a chance against a real downpour. At least my dog won't get a repeat watershow.