The tomatoes, raspberries and roses in DaronOlesch-Williams’ back yard in Algonquin still need water, despite the restrictions in place during this summer’s dry spell.
So Olesch-Williams, a native of England, rigged up a contraption to collect rainwater that his countrymen have long used.
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“It’s a garbage can attached to a downspout,” he explained.
Cost: $26.
“You can go fancy,” Olesch-Williams said. “I just went down and dirty and cheap.
“It collects a lot of rainwater very, very quickly,” he added. “It allows me to water my flowers without breaking any regulations.”
The contraption has gained the attention of neighbors, Olesch-Williams said, and about 400 people have downloaded the plans from his Web site (http://mypcmechanic.com/water/).
And though rain has been scarce this summer, there has been enough to keep his plants watered. Olesch-Williams said a 10 foot by 10 foot roof would collect 42 gallons of water in an hour with an inch of rainfall.
“Already we’ve had raspberries and strawberries and blackberries–even though we’ve had a drought,” he said. “My tomatoes look a little misshapen because of the irregular watering, but they’ll taste fine.”