Rain Water Hog install NJ Water Harvesting Rain Barrel

[Weswada]

I just got 2 waterhogs, but its not ideal.

- Its obscenely expensive,

- what about first flush?

Still looking for a water catchment drinking water quality solution.

[azzmunched]

Wow! I can't believe how many negative comments there are. This gentleman is actually paying attention and becoming one cog in a big wheel to improve our situation through conservation. We are not the ones that are going to suffer from our wasting our precious resources. It will be our grandchildren for generations to come. Spend $20, spend $400... but do something; whatever you can afford. If you can't spend a little, then reduce & save some money at least. Kudos for your efforts here.

[myastroflight]

In some counties and cities it is ILLEGAL to harvest rain water. That is how you get your arse thrown in jail.

[GOP4USA]

Don't need a history lesson. Turned me off.

[GaunletofDestruction]

Have you ever thought of drilling a well on your property for water along with the system in your video? I was also thinking, what if you had all your toilets flush using gravity fed grey water?

[YiuTeub]

wouldnt let that PVC be exposed to light. Also dark containers are a bad idea unless shaded (bacteria growth) or is used to water lawns and garden. 

[younitehumanity]

What about winter time? They need to be empty when it freezes right?

[fudgedogbannana]

Dude if you can fill your toilet tank with it then maybe you can get 50 or 60 flushes, rain can do your outdoor watering for you, 40 inches a year you shouldn't have to water out doors at all. In LA we get 14 inches a year, I haven't watered my lawn in 4 years, it ain't dead yet. At $400. per unit I can buy bottled water.

[bellerve201]

you could add an inline utility pump that runs on solar, so it will give you a pressure boost to run a sprinkler or even just give more pressure to the nozzle. solar because, you know, save electricity....

[DodecaDude]

BTW, should have cut the opening while it was on the ground, he created a hazard situation there cutting it after installing it to the wall. Silly. Be safe and cut your hole on the ground.

I'm also guessing the entire system needs to be drained before a hard freeze or you'll end up cracking your barrels from the expanding frozen water inside.

Just saw this on DIY, the designer just used a angled square catch with a screen, no complicated over-flow piping, etc. the angle made it self-cleaning.

[crusader1492]

I have standard 50 gallon barrels (asthetically pleasing, btw) on three of my downspouts. I agree with the commentator that the H2Og is a better system and I would love to replace what I have with this product, but $335 each!

I'll stick with what I have.

[the43k]

@crusader1492 To each is own, if you are happy with what you have, that's all that matters.

[griffrs]

@the43k To each "his" own... fixed that for you :)

[fudgedogbannana]

@crusader1492 if the hog itself is $335. then this dude spent about $400. per if you count up the extras to store 50 gals. of water for a dry day.

[flubno]

Do you really want to store water in big plastic containers , left out in the Sun in the summer and the cold in the winter ? Glass is the most inert substance thing on earth. I noticed that my plants respond to rain water better. I'm guessing the chemicals like flouride and clorine in tap water my not be the best for gardening.

[the43k]

@flubno... I guess you are referring to the hogs ability to store water. I agree with you. Glass is better. This is one ability it has. Heat mass and rain water capture are another. I try not to drink anything in plastic. However, this food grade plastic is thick enough where light won't penetrate creating algae etc and it has good emergency drinking ability if you set up the right filtration system. You can go to their website for better information. I don't work for them.

[Dale82855]

Recycling previously used steel or plastic drums is more environmentally concious than creating new plastic containers for storing the water. What is more unsightly, a few barrels by your downspouts or a landfill full of plastics made from crude oil byproducts? I have 110gal capacity, (2 drums). Total investment $29. To each his own.

[the43k]

@Dale82855 I think I more then stated, that I'm happy with anything if you are happy. My only concern with used plastic or metal drums is where did they come from and what were they used for previously. These hogs are 100% recyclable, not the BS number 3, 4 and 5 that can't be reused in 99% if the country. Good luck with your barrels and I'm delighted they only cost you 30 bucks.

[sarahma2]

How do you stop flow to the Water Hogs during the winter. Did you need to install a valve? You didn't address this in our video. Just curious if you were worried about freezing OR if you just opened the bottom of the rain barrel in the winter and that was enough.

[pgm98387]

Square tanks do look good. Shipping - handling charges are better because of the shape. If you sell enough of these you can bring the production costs down.

Price comparing, the round poly tanks have more capacity. If you can afford these very nice. Build a fence - privacy screen with these.

[stainedjuanito]

how do you call the device you used to make sure the cement block was level?

[phaaronthegreat]

@stainedjuanito It's called a Level...the small one that he used on the concrete block is a Torpedo Level. The big one that he used on the Water Hog is just a plain Level or Straight Level or Carpenter's 4 ft Level.

[dkim68]

Excellent information in this video!

[GameICY]

I recently saw a report warning of petro-toxins being released into plastic drink bottles, especially when left inside a warm vehicle. If using for drinking water like centexpw just said, wouldn't these barrels secrete the same if not more toxins since they are much thicker and may sit in the sun all day. As for using salvaged barrels this could be risky, they may be used Squaline barrels or worse. In a few months when I move, this will be tops on my to-do list though.

[the43k]

Great question... I don't know... I will find out. Sorry for the delay in response.

Ed

[the43k]

Hi Ed,

Thanks for this note. The HOG plastic is polyethylene - the plastic being used to replace polycarbonate food grade containers which contain BPAs (Bisphenol A) and offgas. Polyethylene is currently regarded as a non-leaching, non-offgassing plastic. It is the most inert of all plastics. My partner and HOG designer Sally writes for the Australian Fairfax newspapers on sustainable design and particularly

[the43k]

on offgassing and leaching materials, and pointed out to me that food cans - and most steel tanks - are lined with food grade liners containing BPAs.  Right now, the safest way to store any food or drink is in opaque (to prevent UV rays fouling the contents) food grade polyethylene (which is what our tanks are made of).

Just reading down a little on your forwarded note, salvaged barrels are particularly environmentally dubious as they

[the43k]

technically need to be bleached every year to prevent algae buildup. Most municipalities handing out reused food grade barrels do not tell the buyers about the necessity for bleaching.

Regards

Simon

[darkelfjst]

@GameICY Your right. This video is one to sell a product. Most people still believe pastics as safe and any nay sayers to be conspiracy theorists.

To fix this, I suggest either keeping your containers out of direct sun light, or using stainless steel or even glass. Plastic is cheap, I realize this. The guy in this video was fair. After a month of searching the Internet, this was his best solution.

... So there you have it.

[darkelfjst]

@GameICY Your absolutely right. Plastics left in direct sun light (including drink bottles) left off toxins. Most real scientists know this. Most companies with something to loose, will refute those facts or attempt to change the subject. Its simply dollars and cents. Do you want to pay for stainless steel? Of course not. So they sell you this HDPE2 container (food grade, based on a vague and out dated standard)

I suggest, keeping any plastics out of direct sun light. Even fumes can be toxic

[centexpw]

Im in TX. I have been 100% rainwater collection since 1998. I do not have a well or city water. We have one system for household ( 30k gals ) and one system for gardening and plants ( 2k gals ). The ag system is all salvaged poly barrels, no need for food grade containers. our water use ( household only ) is < 50 gals per person / day. this includes cooking, baths, toilets, laundry. Our family of 5 had no problems. Cost comparable to a well on new const. outside city limits.

[1too3fore]

It's cheaper to go to a bottler and get free food grade barrels and build a rain barrel for next to nothing.

[the43k]

Cheaper yes.... Will it work as well, is it as versatile and does it look nice??? The answer to all these questions is NO. The Hogs also have an over 20 year lifespan.

[the43k]

I state in the video, this is only a "small experiment" and that one could invest in a system (in my area and others) that could provide all water needs. Even still, I don't agree with your assumption, that its "nothing" as far as water savings. If everyone in NJ for instance saved a thousand or more gallons per year on their gardens, etc, it would have a an effect.

[the43k]

As I tried to suggest in the video, changing shower-heads and faucets make a difference too. As far as cost, the Hogs last over 20 years, are far more capable, functional, attractive and are 100% recyclable. What is the life expectancy of a typical cheap $120 rain barrel from Home depot or Lowes? As far as soaker hose, when I compile the data/evidence for you, and I will provide it.

[amfdfireinside]

The barrel I got from lowes has a 15 year life expectancy and was 80 dollars.

[the43k]

I am for anyone who tries to reduce our dependency for clean drinking water. If 80 dollar rail barrels from Lowes work for you, I'm all for it. I hope they serve you well. I found the rain water hogs, to be highly functional and designed with a lot thought. I am very happy with them.