How To Increase the Water Pressure Coming From your Rain Barrel



Posted: Tuesday, February 08, 2011

by NorthBridge
NorthBridge Consultants

With the focus on rain barrels and rainwater harvesting, there are many different styles of rain barrels on the market.  These rain barrels range from wooden barrels, to inexpensive food-grade barrels, to urns that look like terracotta clay.  A frequent question regarding rain barrels is how to increase the water pressure coming from a rain barrel.

At the moment, the majority of rain barrels have a spigot that allows for a watering can to be filled.  However, the problem with spigot mechanisms is that they are gravity fed, and at ground level, gravity can only generate a slow trickle of water.  To compound this problem, water will likely not flow from the rain barrel until the barrel is 1/3 full because the force of gravity increases as the rain barrel fills.



One way to improve the water pressure is to use a rain barrel stand to raise the height of the rain barrel.  This will definitely improve the water pressure, but one still will not be able to connect a 50’ hose and expect and pressure at the other end.

A recent innovation has been to introduce a submersible pump into the rain barrel.  For example, Algreen’s new Madison pressurized rain barrel contains a geyser fountain, which is driven by a submersible pump.  The fountain head at the top also serves a more practical purpose- this head has been engineered to fit any standard garden hose.  Thus, for those that do not want to bother with a watering can, customers can simply hook up any standard garden hose to the fountain head, and proceed to water their garden as though the water were coming directly from the tap.

New research and development has also been placed onto eco-friendly watering options, such as a self-pressurized rain barrel watering system.  Currently in the works is a self-driven watering system that will operate without any electricity.  Future rain barrels will likely comprise a pressurized tank, which when full, would be used to drive water out of the barrel.

For more information about pressurized rain barrels, please go to algreenproducts.com
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