Rain Barrels

I have been interested for awhile in a more efficient way of watering all of my flowers and garden plants. Concerns over using treated water and then paying for it of course were at the top but also rain water has always made plants thrive. I have seen a few rain barrels for sale like at whole Foods but they are a bit pricey (@100 bucks). So I have decided to make my own-also thought it would be a good idea for some of our community gardens. There are two starting points-1)you could get a 55 gallon drum free from some of the geothermal or directional drilling companies because they contain an environmentally friendly soap made of different types of plant polymerst hat they use which can be washed out with minimal residue. 2)Or you could buy a large yard waste can(at least bigger than 30gallons). Next you will need some sort of screen (1/4in mesh screen) on the top to filter out any debris that could taint the water or clog the faucet. The barrel will need to have about a 2 inch lip on the top for the placement of the screen and for a bit of diversion for the water to collect (like a collection dish). Then you will need a hose fitting ( a basic faucet)and pvc fitting to connect inside the barrel (costs about 5 bucks for both fittings including the seal). Most rain barrels I have seen have an additional pvc fitting for overflow to prevent stagnation. The overflow could be faced out towards the garden to direct water flow (will keep the screen from deteriorating) In essence for a maximum of 20 bucks you could make your own rain barrel and save money on the water bill while recycling water. The plants love it!