60 Gallon Black Rainbarrel

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Reusing something can be even better than recycling it. These rain barrels are recycled without any melting or reforming of plastic because they were already designed to hold liquids in a safe way. By collecting rain water in these barrels, you not only conserve expensive treated drinking water, but you are also keeping plastic out of the landfill.

These food grade barrels once held olives, pickles, and other bulk items and they are safe for use as rain barrels. Unlike barrels that were used to transport chemicals, these barrels have no toxic residue and are ready to use right away.

These food containers were transformed into rain barrels by adding a spigot, overflow valve, and mesh screen to keep debris out. That's it. There was no wasted energy, and no excess CO2 creation. And when these plastic barrels wear out after years of use, the plastic can be recycled again.

The 60 gallon rain barrel is approx. 39 inches tall, with a 23 inch diameter. The inlet for water at the top of the barrel is 12 inches in diameter, with an approximately 2 inch deep lip on the barrel to help funnel rain water in (the top may vary slightly depending on the containers that were recycled).

This rain barrel includes a ball valve for easy watering control. To avoid damage during transit, the valve and overflow spouts are shipped in a plastic bag inside the barrel, along with a plug and assembly instructions. Screwing the valve in place should take 5 minutes or less.

All outlets in the barrel are pre-drilled. There are three holes in the side of the barrel, two holes are near the bottom and one is near the top. The upper hole is intended for use with an overflow valve. This valve allows any excess water to be diverted into a second barrel. Alternately, a hose can be attached to direct overflow wherever you need it, such as a garden or flower bed. The standard overflow fits a 3/4 inch garden hose. The pictures show a red handled rotary spigot, but your barrel may come with a black 1/4 turn shutoff valve instead.

When there is a hard freeze in the winter, remember to just keep your drain plug open on your rain barrel and it will be fine. A full rain barrel could potentially crack during a hard freeze when the water expands into ice, but an empty rain barrel will not.

How many barrels could you use?
1 inch of rain on a 1000 sq ft roof yields 625 gallons of water. To calculate the yield of your roof, multiply the square footage of your roof by 625 and divide by 1000.

Can I use this barrel with a Garden Watersaver? Yes, this barrel will work with a Garden rainsaver. If you plan to install the diverter, please select the "Sealed" option at the top of the page (the normal fittings will be installed, but the inlet on the top will not be cut into the barrel).

The following two paragraphs appeared in an August 2001 Wall Street Journal article about the resurgence of rain barrels in suburban neighborhoods:

Until the 1940s, the rain barrel was a common sight at farms and homes throughout rural America. Rainwater often was softer than pipe-supplied water, and wooden feed-barrels scattered beneath the steep roof of a barn could catch hundreds of gallons of water during a brief shower. But with modern plumbing, the rain barrel became unnecessary. Today, what many city folks know about rain barrels comes from reruns of "Petticoat Junction" and an old children's song that asks a playmate to "shout down my rain barrel; slide down my cellar door."

Jim Cox, a 46-year-old international-trade expert in Rockport, Mass., says his tomatoes and peppers respond better to rainwater than to the cold water from a hose, which can shock plants in hot weather. Mr. Cox connects two... calculating that each rainwater harvest is enough to keep his garden soaked for one rainless week.



Don't forget to look at our Garden Watersaver, which is a more elegant way to hook up your rain barrel to your downspout than a regular downspout redirector!