Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

Rain barrel workshop in February

Jan. 13, 2007

Last October we held our first Rain Barrel Workshop and it was a big success. Ironically, that Saturday was the first good rain we had received in a long time and yet everyone still came out to make their rain barrel so that they could take it home and start harvesting rain. For those of you who are interested in attending a Rain Barrel Workshop we have two more scheduled for this year.

The first Rain Barrel Workshop is set for Saturday, February 10th here at the Agriculture Center. Our address is 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa, 32926.

The second Rain Barrel Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, May 12, at The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary just south of Titusville. Their address is 444 Columbia Blvd, Titusville, 32780.

Both workshops will be from 9 -11 a.m. and cost $30 which will cover all of the supplies, the barrel and a DVD that shows you how to construct a rain barrel so that you can make more on your own.

We also have a supplies list for anyone who is interested in making their own rain barrel but don’t necessarily want to attend a workshop or don’t want to have to wait to get a rain barrel. Our goal is to have 1,000 rain barrels in Brevard County by 2010. We want to encourage everyone who makes or buys a rain barrel to register their rain barrel with us. Everyone who registers their rain barrel along with a photograph of their installed rain barrel will receive a free t-shirt!

Here is the list of supplies that are needed to make a rain barrel and two sources of barrels.

  • Food grade 55 gallon plastic drum
  • 3/4 inch hose spigot
  • 15/16" drill bit
  • Drill
  • PVC Cement
  • Flexible downspout extender
  • Caulk
  • Screen for overflow or top of barrel
  • 1/2 inch PVC compression coupling for overflow (or larger for overflow connection)
  • 1 ³/8 drill bit (or larger for overflow connection)
  • Screen to cover overflow connector and any other holes
  • Scissors
  • Paint - spray primer or sand paper, acrylic and clear coat for protection

Here is the contact information for two local barrel recyclers.

Malabar Feed & Farm is located at 1366 Malabar Rd SE, Palm Bay, FL 32907. Their phone number is (321) 951-0019 and the cost of a barrel is $12.95.

The other source is Shonk Drum Service and they are located at 3245 West New Haven Blvd. Ste. 12 in West Melbourne, FL 32904. Their phone number is (321) 288-4762 and a barrel costs $17.50.

Houses with an existing gutter system can collect all of the water from the roof by having a rain barrel at the base of each downspout. For most houses this would mean at least four rain barrels. Many houses with a large roof may need more then one barrel at the end of each downspout. A number of barrels can be connected so that all of the rain is collected and none is lost through the overflow coupling.

For homes that don’t have gutters at all, there may be areas where the majority of the rainwater pours off the roof during a hard rain. A rain barrel could be placed there to collect the majority of the rain water.

To sign up for either the Agriculture Center or The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary Rain Barrel Workshops just email Leesa at Lsouto@mail.ucf.edu or call her at (321) 722-2123.

To register your rain barrel just download a registration form from this website. If you don’t have a computer give us a call at 633-1702 and we can mail you the registration form.

The rain barrel registration will earn a t-shirt when a photograph of the installed rain barrel and the registration form are returned to Elizabeth Melvin at 2725 Judge Fran Jamison Way, Suite A217, Viera, Florida 32940.