Comments on: How can I make a water butt/rain barrel using recycled stuff?

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:04:48 +0000

We have a huge old concentrated orange juice transport container in our garden. We got it from stuff the local lorry yard were chucking out. It’s black, plastic, 6 foot tall – we siphon the water out of that to a smaller waterbutt further down the garden which is nearer the vegetables but further from our roof. Or you can siphon it with a hose direct onto the beds or into a watering can ( you won’t get any pressure though, the water just flows out quite gently.

By: Ričardas

Ričardas — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:45:13 +0000

I guess the former chemicals containers would not pass food quality test if the rainwater is used for anything more than gray water.

By: Bobbie

Bobbie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:57:56 +0000

It seems that old wooden ones could be reused because I think they are like whiskey barrels in that they must have liquid in them to prevent the boards from shrinking and leaking. If they are not rotten a good soaking in water should make them good as new .

By: Cipollina

Cipollina — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:14:45 +0000

I live in a textile mill area in Italy (there are literally hundreds of mills along the river and in the nearby cities and villages, most work wool imported from Britain), and they get their various dyes and soaps in 1000 litre tanks. I believe they are to be returned and refilled, but many here take them home and reuse them to collect rainwater for the garden. We got two that the mill cleaned out for us – I think we paid around 10 euros each, which is next to nothing. Properly insulated against frost and protected from too much sun, they should last a good many years.