Tips for Establishing a Water Catching System

Water catching systems are more than just useful for homesteaders, even semi homesteaders, they are a necessity.  The uses are limitless, from watering the garden to setting up a system for the house.   

• Know what your uses for the water will be.  Will you be using the water for your animals or will you be using the water for your home?  This will help you determine what type of system that needs to be set up and where it needs to go.   

• Plot the best place, location to put your water catching system.  This goes with the tip above and is going to be based on your needs.  For example, if using a water catching system for nothing more than watering the gardens and animals find a good place to catch the water as well as a place that allows for good drainage.  Our water system is set up in the front of the house where the hill begins to slope down.  Excess water goes down the hill and not into our basement.  We killed two birds with one stone.  These things fill up more quickly than you’d ever think.  This is all about knowing your property, your home and your needs.  If you are only using it for your garden and you think you will be able to catch a lot, put it in the middle of your garden.  Work smarter, not harder. 
• Use good materials hardy materials.  We found this out quickly with our connection between our two barrels.  The plastic clamps were not sufficient to connect our two barrels at all (which we were warned about).  Two days later, we were at the hardware store buying metal clamps.  There might be parts to your system that will require updating or replaced all together.   
• Research everything.  This cannot be stressed enough.  This will lead to fewer mistakes and a more efficient, productive set-up.  Trial and error is a huge part of self-sufficiency, everyone’s homestead is different and we all have different needs.  But you need to have a plan and know what you are going to do before buying your barrels and attempting to make a system that works successfully.    

A water catching system is a great thing and another step to self-sufficiency.  For us, this has been one of our big wins on our road to being semi-homesteaders.