Nothing says "Pioneer" like the old oak rain barrel and it is making a big come back.

The big advantages of rain water collection are - the water is already soft, it is at air temperature verses ground temperature and it didn't take power to get it to ground level - it got here on its own.

It needs proper management so be sure to cover it with a screen to keep out insects and debri.

Whether you collect above ground, below ground, get a small 55 gallon system or a cistern, it could be one of the most useful things you have in an emergency when all other power is out - available water!

To use it for human consumption - filter it. We recommend "candle" ceramic filters and add a carbon filter since carbon filters need replacing but the ceramic filter only needs to be sanded off to expose a new clean surface. Another type of filter is the ceramic pot which come with bacteria killing silver. Click here for the report on the use of silver in filters.