Rain Barrels Turn Rainwater into a Backyard Resource

For many homeowners, a rain barrel may look like a simple container tucked beneath a downspout, but it can become a valuable tool for conserving water and reducing stormwater runoff. By capturing rainwater from rooftops for later use on gardens, lawns, and other outdoor tasks, rain barrels provide a free source of non-potable water while reducing the amount of runoff leaving a property. Because rain barrel water is not treated, it should never be used for drinking, cooking, or other household purposes that require potable water.

That simple idea has grown into something much more creative at the home of one PA resident, who asked to remain anonymous. After receiving his first rain barrel more than a decade ago, he began experimenting with ways to put captured rainwater to work. Today, his system supports an organic backyard garden, an outdoor sink, a drip irrigation system in progress, and a seasonal outdoor shower that uses collected rainwater.

Everyday Uses

Rain barrels are commonly used to water gardens, flowers, lawns, raised beds, and indoor plants. They can also support outdoor cleaning tasks, such as rinsing gardening tools or washing containers. At this particular property, the homeowner has expanded those everyday uses by connecting a cold-water outdoor sink that draws water from a rain barrel, helping keep dirt and garden mess outside the home.

One of the property's most unique features is an outdoor shower. The idea began after spending hours working in the garden, and the homeowner wanted a convenient way to rinse off before walking through the house. Over time, that practical solution evolved into a rainwater-fed shower system that uses solar energy to warm the water.

"You get to work in your garden and take a shower," he said, comparing the experience to using an outdoor shower at the shore.

Because the shower uses collected rainwater rather than treated household water, it serves as a backyard rinse-off station after gardening and other outdoor work rather than a source of potable water.

Technology and Automation

Although the system has become increasingly sophisticated over the years, it still begins with the same basic concept: collecting rainwater from the roof and storing it for later use. At this property, water is transferred between multiple barrels through pumps powered by a solar panel before being distributed throughout the backyard.

"The rain barrels allow a lot of things," he said, from watering gardens to creating hot water.

His setup includes pumps powered by small solar panels, charge controllers, and programmable microcontrollers that automate how water moves through the system. Microcontrollers are small embedded computers designed to perform dedicated tasks. By running custom code, they receive information from sensors, make decisions based on programmed conditions, and control equipment such as pumps, valves, and other devices without requiring constant human input.

The homeowner also uses a Raspberry Pi, a small single-board computer that serves as the central controller for the system. It communicates with the microcontrollers, collects information from sensors throughout the rainwater system, and displays that data on a dashboard he can monitor from his phone. One of its functions is monitoring the temperature of the solar-heated water used for the outdoor shower, allowing him to check when the water has reached a comfortable temperature before using it. The system also reports information about pump operation and other components, giving him the ability to monitor the rainwater system remotely.

Programming is an important part of making the automation work. The microcontrollers are coded to monitor sensors, communicate with the Raspberry Pi, and respond to changing conditions, while the Raspberry Pi is configured to receive, organize, and display the incoming data. The homeowner said his background in Linux, open-source software, and coding allowed him to design the system, write the software that coordinates the devices, and continue refining the automation over time. He also utilizes online courses to learn more about coding.

While this level of automation is far beyond what most homeowners need, it demonstrates how adaptable rainwater harvesting can be. A single rain barrel can support a garden, while those with an interest in electronics and programming can gradually expand a basic system with automated watering, remote monitoring, and other custom features

Maintenance

Keeping a system like this operating requires regular maintenance, although the homeowner describes it as relatively straightforward. Each spring he cleans and disinfects the barrels before putting them back into service, and before winter he blows out the water lines to prevent freezing from damaging hoses, pumps, and tubing.

Algae can occasionally become an issue when a barrel receives more sunlight or collects dirtier roof runoff. In his case, the barrel connected directly to the roof gutters sometimes needs to be emptied and cleaned. Mosquitoes have not been a problem because the water remains covered, is regularly circulated, and is used frequently rather than left stagnant. As part of maintaining the shower system, he also treats the storage barrels with a small amount of bleach to help maintain water quality.

For homeowners installing a rain barrel, routine maintenance should include keeping the barrel covered, checking screens and fittings, directing overflow toward lawns or gardens, using the stored water regularly, cleaning the barrel periodically, and disconnecting or draining it before freezing weather.

Why Rain Barrels are Important

Beyond the convenience of having water available in the backyard, rain barrels also serve an important environmental purpose. They capture rainfall that would otherwise flow from rooftops onto driveways, sidewalks, streets, and storm drains, helping reduce both the volume and speed of stormwater runoff.

Stormwater runoff often carries pollutants into nearby streams and rivers. Capturing even part of that rainfall helps reduce the amount of pollution entering local waterways while supporting healthier watersheds.

Rain barrels also help conserve drinking water. Outdoor watering demands often increase during the summer, particularly for households with gardens. Using stored rainwater for landscaping, raised beds, flower gardens, and outdoor cleaning reduces the need to use treated municipal water and even well water for tasks that do not require drinking-quality water.

For this homeowner, the financial savings are difficult to measure because water bills vary from quarter to quarter and rates change over time. Still, the value of the project extends beyond dollars.

"I enjoy doing it," he said. "It makes a difference and feels good to do that."

His system did not become sophisticated overnight. For roughly the first 12 years, it remained relatively simple. Each season he cleaned the barrels, set them up, and used them to collect rainwater. Only over time did he begin adding automated watering, tank controls, and remote monitoring.

His advice is to stay curious, learn from available resources, and start with a manageable project. For many households, that may mean installing a single rain barrel beneath a downspout to water containers or a small vegetable garden. Others may eventually choose to connect multiple barrels or add drip irrigation.

"Everybody should be collecting rainwater," he said, while acknowledging that it can feel like one more task for busy homeowners. He felt that local rain barrel workshops and prepared rain barrel programs help lower that barrier by providing both the knowledge and the equipment needed to get started.

His experience demonstrates that rain barrels can be as simple or as sophisticated as a homeowner wants them to be. Whether supporting a backyard garden or a fully automated rainwater collection system, each barrel helps conserve drinking water, reduce stormwater runoff, and make better use of the rain that already falls. What begins as a simple container beneath a downspout can become a practical conservation tool that benefits both homeowners and local waterways.

References:

Penn State Extension. "Rain Barrels: Information and Guide." Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, updated August 24, 2022.

Penn State Extension. "Why Use a Rain Barrel?" Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences.

Raspberry Pi. "Raspberry Pi Documentation." Official Raspberry Pi website.

Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. "Rain Barrels and Mosquitoes." Fact Sheet FS1240, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Soak Up the Rain: Rain Barrels." EPA Soak Up the Rain Program.