Published in the BANAR June 2026
by Lynn Lefevre
Have you ever thought about watering your garden with rain barrels? I tried using one 20 years ago, but found that it was slow and awkward to use. Two years ago, I decided to try again.
In the Spring of 2024, I installed an 80 Gallon barrel to collect water from the rear roof of my garage. I also added a submersible utility pump connected to a garden hose to make it more practical.
It worked well, so in the Spring of 2025, I added a 50 Gallon overflow barrel next to the original one and installed a 50 Gallon barrel to collect rain water off the shed roof. Since I already had power in the shed, this allowed me to install a pump that could be used to water the nearby raised beds and garden. In early summer, I added two 50 Gallon barrels to collect water off the house roof in my front garden and a 50 Gallon barrel and pump to collect water off the front garage roof.
When needed, I use a self-priming transfer pump to pull water from the overflow and front collection barrels to top up the three barrels with pumps. The key to making this work is to use water cooled pumps with standard hose adaptors that have enough power (1/2 HP) to use with a hose and to locate these barrels near power outlets. It worked out better than I expected and significantly reduced my Summer City water consumption during last year’s drought.
My garden, rain barrels, cold climate air source heat pump and my solar + battery system will be on display on July 11, as part of the 2026 BCA Garden Tour. Feel free to stop by and ask questions or email me at secretary@blackburnhamlet.ca.
This article is part of a series documenting my journey to reduce my impact on our environment. The first two articles can be found at: