Rain Barrel Efficency

Some places in the Mid-West have had a lot of rain this summer. I use my barrel to help capture waste water and retain it on my property. The key is to remember to empty it as soon as the ground can hold the excess so that the barrel is ready to capture the next storm runoff. My overflow from the rain barrel runs into a garden where the water is held and allowed to slowly soak into the soil. Between the frequency of storms and the function of the rain barrel, I haven't had to use clean tap water on my garden this summer.