Bill is running water from the downspouts into barrels for use in his vegetable and flower gardens.
It saves money that would otherwise go to the Altoona City Authority — and it slakes his thirst for following the conservation ethic he learned from his dad.
Bravin figures he collects about 450 gallons a month with his barrels. He has hoses hooked up to them so he can run water using gravity to most of the garden areas.
Two barrels handle the front half of the roof; three take care of the rear.
It takes 10 minutes of decent rain for the front part of the roof to fill Bravin’s first barrel and about 30 minutes to fill all five barrels. They give him a storage capacity of 235 gallons.
An inch of rain on 1,000 square feet produces 624 gallons, he said.
The idea for capturing the water came to him while spraying his lawn with a hose earlier this year: “Why pay for this?” he asked himself.
He found information online from the Web site of Spruce Creek Rainsaver and bought his first barrel from Countryside Nursery in Warriors Mark.
Secondhand juice concentrate or olive oil barrels are available for rainwater capture at nurseries and garden centers in the area, said Jim Eckenrode, watershed specialist with the Blair County Conservation District.
The other required parts, including covers to keep out breeding mosquitoes, are available at hardware stores. The setup costs about $40, he said.
People can use the water they collect for gardens and for cleaning windows and vehicles, Eckenrode said. They also can take it indoors for flushing toilets and other uses.
But it should not be used for drinking without being treated because it contains pollutants from bird feces and insects, he said.
Eckenrode said treatment would require a pressure tank, a filtration system to take away solids and possibly improve the smell and taste, and disinfection with ultraviolet light or chlorine.
Bravin plans to empty the barrels and store them in his garage for winter so the water in them doesn’t freeze and break his equipment.
He plans to extend his operation next year, using a rear garage roof to refill his above-ground pool for the swimming season.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 949-7038.
