Learn How To Install Your Rain Barrel at Home- Watch Our Do-It-Yourself Installation Video!

With the success of last year’s L.A. Rainwater Harvesting Program and the public’s continued interest, we thought an instructional video about how to install a rain barrel at your home would be helpful! Watch our step-by-step guide to find out what materials to use, why choosing the right location is important, how to connect your downspout to the rain barrel, and more! Visit the L.A. Rainwater Harvesting Program’s website to see a check-list of the tools used in the video and even request a free “Do Not Drink Rainwater” sticker. Where can you buy a rain barrel you ask? The website also provides information on distributors in the LA area.

If you’re still contemplating whether or not to install a rain barrel, here are some benefits to harvesting rain.

Benefit 1: By capturing rainwater, you help reduce the runoff reaching our local waterways. A typical home in Los Angeles directs 9,600 gallons of water through its downspouts. This water has the potential to collect many pollutants on its journey through our local creeks and rivers to the ocean.

Benefit 2: Saving energy is saving money! The State of California Energy Commission reported that water-related energy consumption in California accounts for nearly 20% of the State’s electricity. One inch of rain falling on a rooftop can produce more than 600 gallons of water. If homeowners replaced this amount of potable water with captured rainwater, energy consumption in the State could be significantly reduced!

Benefit 3: California has entered an era of increasing water scarcity and harvesting rain lessens the demand on the municipal water supply. Additionally, directing the overflow of the rain barrel to infiltrate your yard or garden replenishes the groundwater.

This harvesting rain idea sounds like we have a WIN-WIN situation on our hands. Swing by the newly revamped L.A. Rainwater Harvesting website and get a FREE “Do Not Drink” sticker for your rain barrel!

Also, make sure to subscribe to the L.A. Stormwater YouTube channel to be notified and stay up-to-date on our latest videos.

Did you find this how-to video useful? Let us know in the comment section below or if you used this video to install your very own rain barrel!