Rainwater Pillow Bladder - Rain collection / storage

[Nifty]

I've always thought it would be so cool to store the thousands of gallons that shed off our roof each winter, but the thought of adding huge under or above ground cement, metal, or plastic tanks seemed super ugly, expensive, and daunting.

Well, last night I was watching "Ask This Old House" and they installed a 650 gallon rainwater collection pillow for a guy that was using a 50 gallon drum. So, he was increasing his storage 13 times!

The system looked SUPER easy to install and the bag looked like way less than 650 gallons, but probably because it was flat and long / wide.

Well, I got REALLY excited until they said the price for the "1,000 gallon system" $2500!! I found the site: http://www.rainwaterpillow.com/

I think the price is because of all the extras (fittings, pump, etc.)

I found sites that sell just the bags: http://www.columbussupply.com/products/?productid=393&price=678

$580 for 800 gallons is a bit better. I need to compare the cost per gallon after a few years of use, but the intrinsic "I feel good about using rainwater" is valuable too.

 

[TanksHill]

I have seen these before. I just can't wrap my head around the cost. How easily do they puncture? I was thinking of using a water bed bag.

Have you seen those water storage cubes in the metal frame, usually on a pallet? We have those on our Craig's list quite often. The cost varies form 100 to 200 dollars. But the hold anywhere from 275 to 350 gallons. I though about stacking a few under my porch.


Maybe another option.

gina

How about this one
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/grd/1576799133.html

 

[miss_thenorth]

Have you seen those water storage cubes in the metal frame, usually on a pallet? We have those on our Craig's list quite often. The cost varies form 100 to 200 dollars. But the hold anywhere from 275 to 350 gallons. I though about stacking a few under my porch.

http://cgi.ebay.com/275-Gallon-Pota...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ef62422f9

Maybe another option.

gina

I use two of these to collect the rainwater off of our shop. and my garden is conveniently place next to the shop. Unfortunately we also have those ugly plastic tanks. One 1500 gallons, one 450 gallons. Since we haul water for our house, we recently bought the 1500 gal one, as it saves us time and gas money to fill the house up. we have a 3300 gallon holding tank underground, and it is cement, buried below the frost line.

 

[TanksHill]

Miss.....3300 gallons under ground? Wow, now thats some serious water. Does it fill with rain water? Or is that where you store the hauled water?

Do you shop around for water or have a source? I Just wonder how much it cost for you? Our water is supplied by our water district and runs about 2.50 per unit. But a unit is like 700 gallons.

Hence the cost of tanks outweighing the cost of water.

gina

 

[Nifty]

How about this one
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/grd/1576799133.html

Hmmm... you know, I see that posting all the time and never thought about just buying 3-4 of those... probably more durable.

I wonder if it is worth it having a system here since it probably wouldn't get refilled with rain water very often. Maybe it's time for me to think about also augmenting it with graywater from rinse cycle from washing machine.

 

[TanksHill]

Ok so when you figure your system come down south and fix mine. I get even less rain. Grey water is an idea but would you use that just for the garden?

My neighbor has a bunch of 55 plastic drums laying on the hillside. With this last storm we had they all filled. But he says they will only water his trees 1 time.

I guess in an emergency situation the trees would not be watered, and the supply would be used for the family.

I should take some pictures.

gina

 

[The Vail Benton's]

I had a friend who watered his tomatos with gray water from the washing machine. When he cut into that first big, beautiful, juicy red tomato, it bubbled kind of like soap... and it tasted alittle off. I would like to use my wash water to water my ornamentals & my trees, but am still dreaming about rainwater collection for my veggie garden.

 

[TanksHill]

Vail... sounds like a business opportunity. Organic Tomato Shampoo??? I think the grey would be good for fruit trees because it has to perc through the soil and such. But I don't think it would be good on veggies.

gina

 

[xpc]

I saw the same show and thought the price was outrageous, then thought about using a water bed mattress. The bigger ones hold 200 gallons and used ones might be found cheap. I did a quick search for new ones and were as low as $50.

 

[The Vail Benton's]

Vail... sounds like a business opportunity. Organic Tomato Shampoo??? I think the grey would be good for fruit trees because it has to perc through the soil and such. But I don't think it would be good on veggies.

gina