Rain barrel information and sources
Saving for a Sunny Day: Rain Barrels in the Garden
You can buy or make a rain barrel. If you have a lot of plants to care for, consider linking several together to increase your storage capacity.
Do-it-yourself instructions
- Rain barrel and cistern systems (Acrobat, PDF, 898KB).
For more information, try the following resources:
- Episode 10: "Waterwise Gardening", King County Yark Talk
Make the most of every drop of water in your yard. This episode covers drought tolerant landscaping, using cisterns and rain barrels and Smart Watering techniques - Rainwater Harvesting, (Acrobat, PDF, 2MB) by landscape architect and professor Daniel Winterbottom, courtesy of Landscape Architecture Magazine.
- You Grow Girl features current gardening trends and do-it-yourself instructions on how to set up a rain barrel.
- Water Conservation - Tips for Saving Water
Bert the Salmon's tips for saving water indoors and out.
Local rain barrel sources
Following is a list of some local sources to purchase rainbarrels for pick up or delivery. Please call first to confirm cost and availability. Also, try calling your favorite local garden center and ask if they stock rain barrels.
*Note: King County maintains this list as a courtesy to the public and does not endorse or guarantee the quality of the service offered or provided.
- Seattle Conservation Corps - Seattle. Rain barrels are available for $75 plus tax and shipping. Delivery is available within the Seattle City limits at $15 for the first barrel and $5 for each additional barrel. Rain barrels may also be picked up at the Seattle Conservation Corps office at Magnuson Park between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Call 206-684-0190 for directions.
- Coal Creek Utility District - Rain Barrels available in Newcastle. Call 425-235-9200
- MJD Distributions Garden Center - 17212 Aurora Ave N., Seattle. Sells a variety of 50, 55 and 60-gallon, plastic barrels and 175 and 275-gallon, large water tanks. They are recycled, food-grade quality containers. Call to confirm availability. Delivery is available. 206-391-4058.
- Pacific Industrial Supply - 1231 S. Director St., Seattle. 206-682-2100.
- Dan Borba - Tacoma. Sells 60-gallon, food-clean, fully assembled barrels with brass fittings and removable mesh screens. Delivery and installation available in western Washington. Contact for more information. 253-272-8173 or naturalrainwater@yahoo.com.
- HRI-Containers - 8304 N. Regal St., Spokane. Custom made to your specifications. 509-994-7390.
- Flotation Services - Seattle. 425-652-0205.
Rain barrel sources online
*Note: King County maintains this list as a courtesy to the public and does not endorse or guarantee the quality of the service offered or provided.
- IMEX - Washington, Idaho, Oregon. Recycled barrels (e.g., 55-gallon plastic drums) are frequently available through the online Industrial Materials Exchange. Be sure to determine what the barrels were used for previously. Do not use toxic drums.
- Seattle Rain Barrels www.seattlerainbarrels.com
- Real Goods www.realgoods.com
- Rain Tank Depot raintankdepot.com
- Rain Dance Water Barrels www.raindancebarrels.com
- Rainwater Harvesting Systems www.irainharvest.com
- Rainsaver Systems www.rainsaverusa.com
- RainReserve rain barrell locator www.rainreserve.com
- Rain Ready www.rainbarrelsconserve.com
- Oasis Design www.oasisdesign.net
- Natural Rain Water www.naturalrainwater.com
- The Green Culture www.watersavers.com
- Gardeners Supply Company www.gardeners.com
- Garden Supermart www.gardensupermart.com
- Garden Water Saver www.gardenwatersaver.com
- EnviroYellowPages Drum and Barrel vendors
- Eagle Peak Containers, Inc www.epcontainers.net
- Cyrpess Designs www.cypressdesigns.com
- Composters.com www.composters.com
- Arid Solutions www.aridsolutionsinc.com
- Aquabarrel Rain Barrel www.aquabarrel.com
- Aaron's Rain Barrels www.ne-design.net
For questions about the Rain Barrel Information and Resources in the Pacific Northwest, please contact Jo Sullivan.