Why let that precious water go to waste? You can save the water with the right rain barrel. Rain water harvesting is important for many reasons. It is environmentally conscious in that it is recycling in it's truest sense. It also decreases the high demand for city water in which residential irrigation can account for up to 40% of consumption. By collecting rainwater and storing it in rain barrels you'll have water on hand for your use, whether it's for watering the garden or just keeping it handy for emergency situations. Rain barrels are containers or systems which collect and store rain water from rooftops, via rain gutters, providing valuable and useful opportunities for water conservation. They also prevent the loss of "storm water" as runoff, which is frequently channeled into nearby streams and rivers, carrying pollutants and other contaminants into neighboring ecosystems. Inexpensive rain barrels can be made from food grade plastic barrels or heavy-duty trash cans, often for as little as $15, or they can be purchased pre-made from numerous nonprofit agencies, commercial manufacturers and retailers, in prices ranging from $25 to $150 a drum. They are easy to position off the corners of your house or barns to collect the maximum amount. You can prepare them with taps so they you can fill your plant watering systems or circulate to your wash stall for washing of boots and brushes, flushing of toilets or watering gardens.