Posted on May 24, 2016 by Krysta Cossitt
After many years of intense debate, it is finally legal for residents to collect the rain water from their rooftops via rain barrels. Earlier this month Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill allowing Coloradans the right to collect up to 110 gallons of rain water (two 55 gallon barrels). The water collected is to be used outdoors for landscaping purposes only and cannot be used indoors such as filling a hot tub. The barrel must also have a lid that can be sealed. This is required so evaporation is reduced and mosquitos are discouraged from accessing and breeding in the standing water.
The law doesn’t go into affect till August of this year but you can certainly start building your own rain barrel as its relatively easy and affordable.
55 gallon food-grade barrels are fairly easy to find. You can purchase them at a hardware store for about $70 or search on Craigslist for a much cheaper option. Just make sure it’s food-grade since you’ll be primarily using the water on gardens. The next thing you’ll need is a rainwater diverter. Searching on Amazon provides many options with an average price of about $25. The last thing you’ll need, which is optional, is something to prop the barrel up on (bricks, wood blocks, etc.). Installing the rain barrel won’t take long. In fact, you may spend more time figuring out what you want your rain barrel to look like.
Posted In: Informative, News
Tags: 2016, rain barrels
