#RhodeIsland - Some examples of #RainwaterCollection and #Cisterns being used today!

Cistern / Rain Barrel Inventory

https://dem.ri.gov/ri-stormwater-solutions/lid-and-gi/inventory/cistern-rain-barrel-01

#SolarPunkSunday #SolarPunk #BuildingDesign #WaterCollection #RainwaterCisterns #WaterIsLife #StormwaterRunoff

#Rainwater Collecting Laws for Each State

A full list of the laws for rainwater harvesting by each state supported by links to current state legislation, government websites, and Senate, House, and Assembly Bills.

Jeremiah Zac, Updated: February 18, 2026

https://worldwaterreserve.com/is-it-illegal-to-collect-rainwater/

#US #SolarPunkSunday #RainwaterCollection #Rainbarrels #HarvestingRainwater #WaterIsLife

Solved! What Is a #Cistern?

Learn more about how #cisterns collect water and ways the collected water can be used around the home and #garden.

By Deirdre Mundorf
Updated Nov 28, 2022 2:56 PM EST

Excerpt:

"Q: A house I’m considering buying has a cistern. I know cisterns are used for water collection, but I don’t fully understand the cistern definitions I’ve found online or what a cistern’s benefits are. What is a cistern?

A: Between worsening droughts, extreme temperatures, and high water bills in many places, homeowners are looking for alternative methods to save water and reduce their out-of-pocket costs. Enter cisterns, which allow individuals to collect rainwater for use around the home and garden. They may be a good option in rural areas, regions with frequent droughts or water usage restrictions, and homeowners looking to reduce their water bills and environmental impact.

[At the link] below are more detailed answers on what a cistern is, how the water from a cistern can be used, and some considerations to help you decide whether a home with a cistern is right for you.

A cistern is a reservoir for collecting rainwater for household or garden use.

What is a water cistern? Cisterns collect and store rainwater, allowing individuals to reuse the water for household, gardening, and other uses. How does a cistern work? While that can vary between one system and the next, the general idea is the same. When it rains, rainwater is directed through pipes to the cistern tank. Leaves, dirt, and other debris are stopped by mesh screens in the pipes, ensuring that the water that reaches the tank is as contaminant-free as possible.

Nearly all cistern tanks are installed underground. This is the ideal storage location because temperatures stay more consistent and the water and tank are protected against pests and animals."

Lear more:
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/what-is-a-cistern/

#SolarPunkSunday #AncientTechnology
#ModernAdaptations #WaterIsLife #RainwaterCollection #RainwaterCisterns
#BobVila

#RocklandME - #KnoxLincolnSoilAndWaterConservationDistrict

Annual Bin and Barrel Sale

Featuring #EarthMachine #Composters and Systern #Rainbarrels

Note: The Systern Rainbarrels are made from thinner plastic than some rainbarrels and definitely need to be stored when the weather gets cold -- or else they will crack!

https://www.knox-lincoln.org/shop/bin-barrel-sale

#SolarPunkSunday #BackyardComposters #RainwaterCollection #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #Compost

Well, I just emailed our Town Manager with information about discount #RainBarrel and #Composter programs. I know one of our neighbors (who is on the Selectboard) had mentioned how composters cut down on the amount of garbage, and how many folks have home gardens and could benefit from both rainbarrels and composters! Local #SolarPunk vibes!

Maine Resource and Recovery Association:
https://mrra.net/home/products/

Upcycle products:
https://upcycle-products.com/me/mwc/

#SolarPunkSunday #Composters #RainbarrelProgram #Maine #ReduceWaste #ConserveWater #RainwaterCollection #HomemadeCompost

#NapervilleIL - #TheConservationFoundation
#RainBarrels & #Composters

"One simple, efficient, low-cost method to reduce the amount of #StormwaterRunoff from your property is to use rain barrels. Estimates indicate that a quarter-inch of rain falling on an average home yields over 200 gallons of water. Rain barrels are simply large containers that help conserve stormwater from your roof that would otherwise be lost as runoff. Modern rain barrels are sealed, safe around children and insect resistant – they can even be painted or decorated to your liking. You can divert water from your downspout to fill your rain barrel and a hose spigot on the front makes the water easy to access and use.

The Conservation Foundation sells rain barrels, also known as #WaterBarrels, year-round through our partnership with Upcycle Products, Inc. Our 55-gallon rain barrels are made of recycled food-grade plastic, come in a variety of colors and can be purchased for $72.00 (plus tax) for pick-up at #McDonaldFarm in Naperville.

Composters

When we compost our #KitchenScraps and #YardWaste we reduce the amount of material going to the #landfills and instead return nutrients to the #soil. The many benefits of #composting include reducing the amount of material going to landfills and adding organic matter to our #garden beds. This improves soil structure and texture, increases the soil’s ability to hold both water and air, improves soil fertility, and stimulates healthy root development in plants. And it saves you money so you don’t have to buy chemical fertilizers!

Upcycle compost bins (stationary and tumbling) are the same size as the 55 gallon rain barrel, approximately 2 ft by 3.5 ft (the base of the tumbling composter requires a 3 x 4 ft area). The bins are re-purposed BPA-free food grade plastic barrels."

FMI and to order:
https://theconservationfoundation.org/conservation-home/rain-barrels/

#SolarPunkSunday #Illinois #Composters #RainwaterCollection #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife

100-Year-Old Way to Filter #Rainwater in a Barrel

by Linda Holliday
February 25, 2015

"During our boiling, broiling, blistering summer of 2012 here in the Missouri Ozarks, water was a topic of conversation wherever we went. Creeks and ponds dried up (some never recovered) and the water table dropped, forcing a few neighbors to have their well pumps lowered or to even have deeper wells drilled.

"Many folks shared memories of rain barrels, cisterns, hand pumps and drawing water with a well bucket as a child, usually on grandpa and grandma’s farm. Some said they’d never want to rely again on those old-time methods of getting water. But, at least they knew how it was done.

"It seems we have lost much practical knowledge in the last 50 or so years because we thought we’d never need it again. Now we are scrambling to relearn those simple know-hows.

"A tattered, 4-inch thick, 1909 book I happily secured for $8 in a thrift store reveals, among umpteen-thousand other every-day skills, how to make homemade water filters. The instructions in 'Household Discoveries and Mrs. Curtis’s Cookbook' are quite basic as everyone had a rain barrel back then and presumably knew how to clean the water. Now, 104 years later, I am thankful the authors had the foresight to preserve their knowledge for us, and pointed out that rainwater collected in barrels from a roof is a necessity in some locations, but also is best for laundry and 'often more wholesome for drinking purposes than hard water.' "

Learn more:
https://www.askaprepper.com/way-filter-rainwater-barrel/

#SolarPunkSunday #WaterFiltration #Rainwater #RainwaterCollection #WaterIsLife #WaterSystems #OldSchoolTechnology #NeoLuddite #OldWays

#AllianceForTheChesapeakeBay - #RiverSmart Homes: #RainBarrels

"Funded by the District’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), the RiverSmart Homes Rain Barrel program helps reduce #stormwater runoff in #WashingtonDC, improving the quality of local #streams and #waterways. Residents of the District can receive up to three reduced-cost barrels, information about stormwater issues, and signage for their yard. In addition, the Alliance coordinates and trains local contractors to install rain barrels in the city.

By aiding in the coordination and installation of barrels, the program allows for easy and accessible environmental solutions on your property!"

Learn more:
https://www.allianceforthebay.org/project/riversmart/riversmart-homes-rain-barrels/

#SolarPunkSunday #DC #ChesapeakeBay #RainbarrelProgram #WaterCollection #WaterIsLife #RainwaterCollection

#PortAransasTX - Discounted #RainBarrel program offered

February 12, 2026

"With the continued drought and increased water restrictions, Keep Port Aransas Beautiful (#KPAB), the Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District No. 4 and the #PortAransas Tourism Bureau and Chamber of Commerce are offering an opportunity to conserve water resources.

Port Aransas homeowners and residents may purchase rain barrels at a discounted price through this program.

Nueces County water customers can purchase a limit of two rain barrels for the discounted price of $66. Additional rain barrels can be ordered for $88 each.

The deadline to order the barrels is Monday, March 30.

The rain barrels will be distributed from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 11, at the water district parking lot.

The water district is located at 200 Howard Blvd.

'Collecting rainwater is a great way to conserve a natural resource and keep water clean,' said a news release from KPAB."

Source:
https://www.portasouthjetty.com/articles/discounted-rain-barrel-program-offered/

The rain barrels may be purchased directly through the program’s website, https://www.rainwatersolutions.com/products/portaransas, using a credit or debit card.

#SolarPunkSunday #WaterCollection #Rainbarrels #HarvestingRainwater #RainwaterCollection #Texas #Drought #ClimateChange

#MassDEP - #RainBarrels and Other Water Conservation Tools

"Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water and reduce storm water runoff. Use the collected water for household chores.

Table of Contents

- What are rain barrels?
- Why use rain barrels?
- How do I install a rain barrel?
- Where can I get a manufactured rain barrel?
- How else can I conserve water?

What are rain barrels?

Rain barrels are containers used to collect rain water from the roof of a building via the gutter and downspout. The downspout is cut to a height that permits the rain water to flow into a barrel placed beneath it. The barrel should have a spigot to which a hose may be attached, and an overflow hose to direct rain water away from the foundation if rain continues after the barrel is full. Rain barrels are often made from 55-gallon food-grade plastic barrels, although they can also be made of wood. The collected water can be used to water gardens or lawns, wash cars, fill swimming pools or do other household chores.

Why use rain barrels?

Conserve water and reduce stormwater runoff: In the summer months, outdoor tasks such as watering lawns and gardens typically make up about 40% of household water use. With seasonal droughts, restrictions and bans on lawn watering, and the increasing cost of water, it makes sense to use rain water instead of municipal water for outdoor uses. Unless it is collected, rain water runs off impervious surfaces, such as roofs and pavement, gathering pollutants which often end up in local streams, rivers, pond, lakes and marine waters. Keeping and using rain water on your property helps reduce pollution, erosion and improves local watershed health.

Water quantity: Just 1/4 inch of rainfall on a typical roof will fill a rain barrel. A modest amount of rainfall can supply much or all of your outdoor watering needs - a full rain barrel will water a 200 square foot garden. A good rule of thumb is that 1 inch of rain on a 1000 sq ft roof yields 623 gallons of water. You can calculate the yield of your roof by multiplying the square footage of your roof by 623 and dividing by 1000.

Water quality: Rain water is 'soft, or free from minerals and chemicals such as chlorine, fluoride, and calcium that are often present in municipal water. Rain water is considered ideal for watering plants or washing cars and windows."

Learn more:
https://www.mass.gov/guides/rain-barrels-and-other-water-conservation-tools

#SolarPunkSunday #RainBarrels #RainwaterHarvesting #RainwaterCollection #WaterIsLife
#ReduceStormwaterRunoff