Does someone know where to purchase rainwater collection barrels? I saw one in a garden catalog that looked like a really good one, but it was $119.00. Are there any less expensive ones? Thanks.

-- Jeanne (jcd51@webtv.net), August 31, 2000

Answers

Perhaps you could find a barrel of food grade plastic, maybe one that has held mollasses or such (something not-toxic). I wonder what holds the molasses that the feed mills put in their "sweet feed"? Maybe you could get one of those, cheap!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), August 31, 2000.

I bought my food grade plastic 50 gal barrels at the Coca-Cola bottling company for about $5. You can do just about anything with them you want. They also have different sizes.

There were also some available at the local tomato packing factory, but their's had hot sauce in them and I didn't want that taste.

Just go to any local food processor and ask if they have any available.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), August 31, 2000.

The feed mill here gets their syrup by the train car load, so I doubt you would be able to get barrels from them. However, the local sausage maker used to get plastic barrels with casings in them and sell them to the public. The casings came from India, by the way. This has always seemed strange to me.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), August 31, 2000.

I bought a 55 gallon food grade barrel last year that the top woould come off from, it had a brass hose bib in the bottom and I paid too much for it, I think it was $25. I use to live near Seneca Food plant,(S.S. Pierce) caqnning factory and could by the same barrels for $5.00

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), August 31, 2000.

Look at your local flea market/swap meet. I picked up heavy grade 25 gallon cola syrup barrels that have screw in bungs. They usually sell for between 3 and 6 dollars. I use em for rainwater and AC condensation collection.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 31, 2000.

will you be using theese barrels for drinking water? because if you are you will need more than the barrels to collect the water in. i bought the 10 i am using to collect water in for washing, animal drinking water, plant watering etc. at the feed dealer i buy my feed at for $10 each. i bought the plastic too not the metal and found that by drilling a 3/4 inch hole in the side near the top i could connect barrels with 3/4 inch garden hose with little to no leakage as their 3/4 inch rating is the inside diameter. i also got some of my barrels from a local farmers market for $5 each. i would not pay $119 for a water barrel. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), September 01, 2000.

For around or under $100, you should be able to get a big ol' stock watering (plastic) tank at the Tractor Supply Co. or some such place. I imagine that would work as well. HOWEVER, before you buy, check out the thread on plastics in the human bloodstream for info on the leaching of plactic-based cancer precursers into food/water in contact with plastic, food grade or otherwise (soda bottles are the biggest culprit, up there with milk cartons and food packaging) I'm thinking of going the cement cistern route with my rainwater collection system. At least it's inert, and shouldn't cost too much if I do it myself. The stock waterer would be okay for washing and household use (toilets,etc) and garden irrigation, as the earth would filter out the harmful chemicals before the plants got to the water. Just a thought, keep in mind that small children are have the most to lose from palstic leaching, and are the most susceptible.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 01, 2000.

I've seen that $120 barrel in a catlog - NO WAY! Look around and buy some food grade 55 gallon drums. I bought a bunch that were used for carmel coloring, and they have 2 screw in bungs on top, and they have held up really well.

-- Eric in TN (ems@nac.net), September 01, 2000.

Hai there,

If there is a wholesale business man reading this and interested in importing Woodenrainwater barrels (reproduction). I have plans to manufacture them in my factory in Asia and eport them to the rest of the world.

If a retailer or wholesale business man/woman interested in doing business.

Than reply to this ad, and tell me more about your business and maybe we can do business together.

Thanks,

Albert de Pauly The Netherlands

-- Albert de Pauly (inec@muurkrant.nl), April 19, 2001.