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Drought-plagued states and ecological homeowners are having a love affair with the rain barrel as some municipalities provide big rebates — or distribute free barrels — to citizens who promise to harvest rain. Eventually, two things will happen. Some users will become diehard supporters of rainwater collection; others will be disenchanted with a free-standing plastic barrel that can only hold 50 gallons of water. "Frequently, people tell me they want a rain barrel," said Ste- ven Sweeny, president of Rain Harvesting Supplies, Inc., a na- tional online retailer of water tanks and components, and an accredited professional with the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA). "I ask them how much water they use to water their garden. They always know how long it takes to do the job, but they never know how much water they use. "They're shocked when I tell them that a 50-gallon rain bar- rel will collect enough water so they can run their garden hose for about 10 minutes," he said. "That's how far the basic rain barrel goes. It's a good idea in theory, but it's comparable to an electric car." PUBLIC EDUCATION Those 50-gallon barrels are an ideal starting point for a newbie who wants to save rain. They collect water that would otherwise run into a storm sewer, and help refresh gardens when the skies are sunny. Professionals in the rainwater business want to en- courage greater acceptance of rain harvesting, but they also are working to inform the public that a lone rain barrel — or even five — won't reduce their water bill or provide a lot of water. During his years as owner of Texas Land & Water Designs in Round Rock, Texas, and president of the Texas Rainwater Catchment Association, Paul Lawrence has worked with a va- riety of clients. He believes there are three categories of resi- dential rainwater harvesters: the Hobbyist, the DIYer and the Off-the-Gridder. The Hobbyist wants to store 50 to 250 gallons of rain to use on vegetable and flower gardens and a few potted plants. The DIYer wants 300 to 5,000 gallons in either a single or multiple tanks, and may use a pump to move the water. DIYers use water much like the Hobbyist, but are open to other possibilities, such as founda- tion moisture control. Off-the-Gridders need a tank that holds 5,000 gallons up to 30,000 or more. These homeowners require an independent, pressurized supply of potable water that can be used inside the home, because municipal water or quality well water is not available. "Most individuals who eventually commit to one of the larger systems generally started with a single rain barrel positioned un- der a downspout," said Lawrence, a landscape designer, licensed irrigator and ARCSA accredited professional. "I've found that people who've had success with a rain barrel often graduate to larger systems because they're no longer willing to accept the lim- itations that the smaller storage receptacles present." TELL IT LIKE IT IS Working with rainwater customers can be a challenge. Chris Maxwell-Gaines, president of Innovative Water Solutions, LLC of Austin, Texas, tries to screen potential clients so he doesn't invest a lot of time doing detailed estimates for those who will suffer sticker shock when they learn the price of a rainwater harvesting system. When Maxwell-Gaines first started his business, he'd visit po- tential customers and ask them, "What are you thinking?" "They'd expound from there, and I'd put together an estimate based on what they said," recalled Maxwell-Gaines, a licensed engineer and ARCSA accredited professional. "Later, they'd go, 'Whoa! That seems expensive. I read on the Internet that a rain harvesting system costs $1 a gallon.' Then you'd have to explain, 'Well, we must go under your sidewalk, and we have to do this, and we have to do that.'" Most homeowners appreciate the concept of collecting rain, and see it as a good way to conserve a limited resource. Yet the majority don't know what it will cost to invest in a substantial system. "Maybe if you buy the tank and all the components, you can do it yourself for $1 a gallon," said Maxwell-Gaines. "That $1 figure has become an old wives' tale." Today, when Maxwell-Gaines visits a potential client, he first asks the owners where they want to place the tank. "Based on that, Moving Beyond the Rain Barrel PHOTOS ON PAGE 25 BY CHRIS MAXWELL-GAINES 24 November/December 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com IRRIGATION AND WATER MANAGEMENT Helping homeowners collect rain right ■ BY PAT PAPE Although they'll have better quality water for their landscaping, and maybe even drinking water for their family, typical homeowners won't see a return on investment until they install a 10,000-gallon-plus tank.