SAN ANTONIO – The age-old process of rain harvesting is once again growing in popularity.
"We've never had a problem with not having enough people for a class," said Troy Luepke, water conservation coordinator for Agrilife Extension in San Antonio.
A rain barrel-construction class held by the office Thursday brought in dozens of those interested in building their own rain-harvesting system.
"We have a metal roof and the amount of rain that comes off a metal roof is amazing," said Suzanne Watson, who attended the class with the hope of saving money on her water bill.
According to Agrilife Extension, just 1 inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof, would yield about 600 gallons of water.
"The water that you use from the rain barrel is so much better for your plants," added Watson.
From providing and measuring the barrels to installing faucets, Agrilife Extension walked the attendees through the process of creating a rain barrel.
The procedure, according to Luepke, is fairly simple and can be made to different specifications.
The class has become so popular that Luepke said it often has a waiting list for those hoping to attend.
Agrilife Extension hosts seven to 10 classes each year at a cost of $50. However, that price includes the cost of the barrel that attendees will use to create their rain barrel.