My new online-ordered, specially-designed rain barrel arrived yesterday. I love it. If it wasn't $89 (reasonable though it is), I'd order 5 more.It's a beautiful terracotta color, sort of like one of those amphora-shaped jugs you see in underwater shipwrecks in the Mediterrean.
The black snap-on lid has quarter size holes, with screen attached to the back, to keep out small animals, bugs, trash, whatever.
The three connector plugs are along the top, for overflow or connector hoses to other rain barrels. They're all silcone-sealed, built-in, and can be capped or used. On one bottom side there's a bottom drain, and about half-way up, there's another connector for a brass spigot that just screws in. The spigot came with the barrel, and even had the teflon tape already wrapped on it.
But my most FAVORITE part is this stamped label. This barrel is recycled. It's first job was bringing olives and peppers from Greece to the U.S. in the hold of some cargo ship.
The barrel waswashed and cleaned, but you can still smell the faint spicy aroma of the olives,and it kinda makes you want to go out for gyros.
The label says HELLAS, and it has a Trojan soldier picking olives, with some Greek-inspired designs around it.
We've got it installed now, in place of the one we had problems with. I figure coming from Greece, it's used to hot sun. And I may get another one to use on the other side of the garage, just so they match.
Nothing like two Greeks in the hot sun. Two Greek barrels. What did you think I meant?
To get your own Greek in the sun:
http://www.easycart.net/FiresideGallery/50_Gallon_Rain_Barrels.html#TC50snapon
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That has got to be the coolest barrel I have ever seen:) Makes me want to go watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding...
ReplyDeleteVery Nice, Carol, AND I found some info about the law saying such things are ILLEGAL in CO - here: Q. Why can't Denver Water customers reuse their own gray water for outdoor use?
ReplyDeleteA. Colorado water law allows each customer just one use of the water before it goes down the drain, through a wastewater treatment plant and back into the river for others to use. By law, Denver Water customers are not permitted to take their bath or laundry water (commonly referred to as gray water) and dump it on their outdoor plants or garden. After this water is used once by Denver Water customers, it must return to the South Platte River where it will be used seven or eight more times before it gets to the state line (Nebraska). State water laws are enforced by the _State Engineer's office_
(http://water.state.co.us/pubs/policies/waterharvesting.pdf) (PDF). Denver Water does not endorse any gray water systems.
However, Denver Water customers are encouraged to catch unused clear water in a bucket or other container as it comes out of the tap and then use this water once; to mop floors, refresh pet water or water plants. For example, try catching water that comes out before the shower water warms up and then use this water to flush toilets or rinse the shower.
Q. Why doesn't Denver Water have rebates for rain barrels so we could catch our rain and put it on our plants?
A. Colorado Water Law requires that precipitation fall to the ground, run off and into the river of the watershed where it fell. Because rights to water are legally allocated in this state, an individual may not capture and use water to which he/she does not have a right. We must remember also that rain barrels don't help much in a drought because a drought by its very nature supplies little in the way of snow or rain. The reuse of household water (gray
water) is regulated by the Colorado State Board of Health Guidelines _On Individual Sewage Disposal Systems_
(http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/regulations/wqccregs/100306individualsewagedisposalsystems.pdf) (PDF). _Local health agencies_
(http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/oll/locallist.html) are responsible for implementation and enforcement of the Guidelines.
Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm thinking if that water (owned by the state), fell on someone's roof and cause water damage, the state would be liable for cleaning up their water, and any damage it caused (while falling, or running rampant over someone's lawn, or flooding someone's basement). Living there would make me want to call the state office eerytime it rained, and tell them I want someone to come clean their water off my car.
Carole, that's funny. I was lookign for loopholes too. I was thinking that the key phrase could be 'an individual may not capture and use water to which he/she does not have a right.' Cause it seems to me that if I bought the deed to this property then rain that falls on MY property I would have a right to? I need a lawyer, LOL
ReplyDeleteThat is the craziest law I have ever heard --- I don't have the right to the rain falling on my head? I think God gave me that right by giving me that rain -- people (read men) sitting around making laws like that make me want to . . . . (lots of legal & illegal things).
ReplyDeleteAmen, jacki. Someone on the radio said the other day that they didn't care if Congress ever went back to work - just stay on vacation and quit passing stupid laws, LOL
ReplyDelete