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RAINWATER TOILET FLUSH

Save your tap water and let the rain in.

By Eric Muhs

I found several nice, free 55-gallon steel drums a few years ago. I used some of them as musical drums in Metal Men, a noisy, homemade instrument my friend John Hawkley and I made together.

I gave another to students to make into a smoke ring generator.

The last two I made into a rain barrel system for collecting the runoff from my roof. Eventually I figured out the best use for them — flushing!

Catching the Rain

Photograph by Eric Muhs

For my rain barrel system I removed part of a downspout, and replaced it with an accordion-folded plastic extension from the hardware store. This runs into a funnel, and into a 3" hole conveniently provided in the barrel lid.

Overflow from the primary barrel runs via a hose outlet at the top of the barrel to a second barrel.

MATERIALS

55gal steel drums ( 1 or more)
Rain gutter downspout extension
Funnel
Cinder blocks or other support
½" hose bib
Hose
2-way hose divider and adapters as needed
Plumber’s goop
Plastic gaskets cut from the lid of a 5gal bucket

Both barrels have a lockable lid, an important feature to keep the water relatively clean and safe from drownings by squirrels or small children. In certain areas of the country, mosquitos would be another reason to keep the lids closed.

Linked in this way, the barrels gather water pretty effectively: they fill easily after a rainy day,

Make: 133