Water-wise tip: Save some rain

When storms do come, they can drop a lot of water in a hurry. Grab some of that moisture for later use. Go beyond bucket brigades to a more sophisticated rain capture system, enlisting your home’s gutter system.

Start simple with a downspout diverter kit, available at home improvement centers and hardware stores. It redirects water from the gutter’s downspout into a rain barrel, repurposed trash can, heavy-duty bag, backyard pond or other reservoir. Diverters also can redirect rain water to sections of your garden that can use extra moisture, such as trees.

How much water can you harvest from your gutters? One inch of rain can produce 600 gallons off 1,000 square feet of roof.

Debbie Arrington

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Water-wise tip: Save some rain."