Rain barrels are a great way to reclaim water from your roof to use in your garden. Scroll down for guides to buying or making your own.

Buy It

A good way to obtain a rain barrel in Ottawa is to search for them here on Kijiji, or wait until spring and obtain a barrel or barrels in the colour of your choice from RainBarrelcanada.com.

Universal Downspout Rain Diverter kit from Rainbarrel.ca. Click image for details.

Make It

There are lots of great instructions for making rain barrels and grey water systems on the web. Here are three excellent guides via the Slow Ottawa ‘Consume Less’ Pinterest board. Click image for details.

 Cisterns & Greywater Systems

A great solution for larger buildings is a cistern hooked up to a greywater system. A cistern beneath the Ottawa Convention Centre collects rainwater for use in flushing toilets and irrigation, with a resulting savings of 67% (indoors) and 71% (outdoor) potable water.

Winterizing

For instructions on protecting your rain barrel from cracking and freezing during the winter see this page from the City of Ottawa.

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