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Rain Barrels Are Simple to Operate

You turn the spigot or attach a hose and start watering! But there are a few dos and don’ts for using the water you’ve captured.

• Do not drink the water. The surface of your roof has pollutants that make the rainwater unsafe to drink for people and pets. Get your FREE sticker here.
• Do water your flowers, trees and lawn. If you don’t have a garden, be sure to empty your rain barrel on a pervious surface like dirt or grass, so the water can soak into the ground.
• Do use the water to rinse off muddy boots. (Remember to stand on a pervious surface!)

Maintenance of your rain barrel requires very little effort. Periodically, check that everything is in working order to ensure your rain barrel is ready to harvest every last drop. Here’s how:

• Keep the spigot closed when you’re not using the water so the rain barrel can collect rain.
• Inspect your gutters, downspout, rain barrel screen and spigot for cracks or debris.
• Keep rain barrels tightly covered to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
• Be sure the rain barrel lid is sealed to keep critters and children safe.
• Consider connecting two or more barrels together to capture even more rainwater. The barrels fill up fast!