How to Harvest Rainwater From a French Drain
- 1). Locate the end of the drainpipe and excavate the ground in front of it to expose the end of the pipe. When completed, you need to excavate an area deep enough to hold two five-gallon buckets stacked one inside the other. You must dig the hole so the end of the pipe rests slightly above the top of the buckets so the water will pour into the bucket.
- 2). Place one bucket inside the other bucket and place them in the hole. The bottom bucket permanently stays in the hole and the bucket placed inside the bottom bucket acts as the water collector.
- 3). Backfill the dirt around the outside of the bottom bucket and compact the dirt with a metal tamper. When you lift the top bucket filled with water, the bottom bucket stays in the hole. The bottom bucket keeps the hole from collapsing or eroding when you remove the top bucket filled with water.
- 4). Plant grass seed in the area where you dug. Planting grass will ensure the soil around the bucket does not erode and wash into the bucket.
- 5). Repeat the process with the drainpipe on the other side of the house. This will ensure you catch as much rainwater as possible.