Montgomery County Conservation District

1. Selecting Barrel

1.1. Label – Only use barrels that have a completely legible contents label. Do Not Use if barrel contained anything termed Toxic, Corrosive, Warning, Caustic, Reactive, Hazardous, or Flammable.

1.2. Sources

1.2.1. Car washes, Soap/Detergent producers, Food Manufacturers

2. Tools

2.1. Drill w/ ¾” bit

2.2. Keyhole saw

2.3. Wrench/grippers

2.4. Screwdriver

2.5. Caulk gun

2.6. Hacksaw

3. Supplies

3.1. Joint compound

3.2. Silicone caulk

3.3. Brass nipple – ¾”x 2” male-male

3.4. Brass spigot – ¾” male-male

3.5. Garden hose with attachment – 8’

3.6. Downspout elbow joint

3.7. Window screening

4. Concept

4.1. Water from downspout

4.2. Spigot high enough to fit bucket underneath

4.3. Controlled overflow with hose at top

4.4. Hose to empty barrel from spigot

4.5. Optional drain at bottom

4.6. Optional connector to another barrel

4.7. Stormwater detention vs. Stormwater storage

5. Barrel Prep

5.1. Rinse barrel

5.2. Dump waste down sink, NOT yard or storm drain

6. Construction Procedure

6.1. Drill hole for nipple using ¾” above spigot 4-5” below top of barrel

6.2. Use keyhole saw to make hole big enough for nipple

6.3. Apply joint compound to nipple and thread into barrel

6.4. Apply caulk to outside of barrel around nipple

6.5. Drill hole for spigot using ¾” drill bit parallel to bung holes 12-14” above base of barrel

6.6. Use keyhole saw to make hole big enough for spigot

6.7. Apply joint compound to spigot and thread into barrel

6.8. Apply caulk to outside of barrel around spigot

6.9. Use key hole saw to cut out bung hole on top of barrel, opposite spigot and overflow

Optional – Attach window screening over inlet to deter mosquitoes

7. Installation

7.1. Attach garden hose to overflow

7.1.1. Check local ordinances to find out where overflow stormwater should go. If not stipulated, try to outlet onto a well vegetated area away from building foundation.

7.2. Position rain barrel on a secure and level surface near downspout

7.3. Cut existing downspout using hacksaw

7.4. Attach downspout elbow joint to flow into barrel

8. Operations & Maintenance

8.1. Leaves collecting in barrel - Use a mesh cover on top to prevent leaves from entering barrel.

8.3. Overflow clogged - Detach overflow hose and rinse out as needed.

8.4. Draining before next rain - Rainwater should be released after each storm even when you do not have a use for it. This allows more rainwater to be captured during the next rainfall.

8.5. Winter freeze - Barrels should either by disconnected during winter months, or spigot can be left open. Freezing and Thawing during winter months can potentially crack the barrel. Diverters can also be purchased to switch between traditional downspout discharge and rain barrel.