SAN ANTONIO – Amid recent heavy rainfall, residents can tap into a cost-effective method to reduce their water bills by collecting rainwater in barrels for garden use.
“This probably saves me maybe $10 to $25 as long as we’re getting rain like we’re supposed to,” homeowner Stephen Lucke said.
He showed us his simple barrel system that he uses to harvest rain. He said his bill is around $60-100 a month, depending on the time of year.
He said he ends up saving more than 20% off his bill some months, and that his system has paid for itself after a year.
“They range around 55 gallons, and it can be between $100-$200, it just depends on how nice you want it to be,” Lucke said.
“Some people use the 55-gallon tanks that are blue, and they’re super cheap,” Lucke said. “You can get those for like $50.”
A simple system can save you money.
San Antonio Water System also has rain harvesting rebate programs where you can apply for coupons as well. There are also more landscape coupons if you replace your grass with native plants.
Lucke’s system holds 250 gallons and is connected to his gutters. He said that with last week’s rain alone, his 250-gallon barrel overflowed.
“This is about 750 square feet, just this one section of roof, it calculates I could collect up to 13,000 gallons per year,” Lucke said.
If gutters are not available, you can utilize a barrel equipped with a hose bib, which can be purchased as part of a kit from a hardware store.
To be clear, he doesn’t use the rain collected to water a lawn, but for flower beds, trees and a vegetable garden. Last week’s rain will last a good part of the summer if used wisely.
“If I use it judiciously, probably about a month I would say, but if I’m watering more frequently, then maybe a week or two, so it depends on how much you’re using it and it depends on the frequency that you’re using it,” Lucke said.
The biggest con, he said, is that using the gutter system requires regular cleaning to prevent blockages and debris from entering the barrels.
The advantages are clear, he said: it saves money and aids in preserving our aquifer.
“The aquifer is the lowest level that it has been in like 30-plus years, right?” Lucke said. “Because we’re really drawing on that. So we wanna reduce how much SAWS water we’re using. So if you’re a gardener, it’s a no-brainer. You’re like, I’m going to use rainwater for my plants. I’m gonna reduce my water bill.”
