Rain Barrel

NC, United States

I bought a rain barrel to catch water that comes off the house because NC has very bad drought the past year. The barrel is full of water because we are having lots of rain now but the water in the barrel has a really nasty smell. The barrel is a plastic material with a screen at the top. Does anyone know how to do away with the smell?

1 May, 2008

Answers

Lori

Hi BJ, can you clarify "nasty" for me? does it smell organic or does it smell chemical? there's a lot of controversy out there about various kinds of plastics...especially those we use for food storage, etc. just wondering if you know where the rainbarrel was made?
Was it made by recycling a barrel that may have held chemicals?
If it smells organic...like something decaying...check the bottom of the barrel of earthworms... might sound strange but I have them in my pond, they crawl in and can't get out and drown in the deepest part... the fish would consume them, but now that I have no fish...they are poluting my pond.lol. have you ever made manure tea with your rainwater for fertilizing? I'm sure there's lots of info on Google...give it a try. you may have to dump the lot and start again...but I hope you find some answers.

2 May, 2008

Barrierisland

Maybe also consider your roofing material and what organic material may be in your gutters - both contact the water before it reaches the barrel. Awful thought, but dead birds, squirrels can be in the gutters

2 May, 2008