Rainwater saucers

Advice please. Our water source is the neighbour next door to our three-personal allotment, who supplies us with water via a hose pipe. We have four barrels and one of those big white tank affairs. The water he provides us with is rainwater he harvests in an underground tank. With the drought this year he was unable to be as generous with his water as last year, so we have been at a low ebb all season.

So I found a reference to rainwater saucers, which are like big inverted umbrellas attached to a tank, for example. Has anybody tried this system, or any other non-roof-harvesting system? Any alternative ideas welcome.

Anton

Thanks for your reply Hero. I don't understand this though "To save digging a big hole for the tank, you could transfer the water to a separate large tank when it fills"

Anton

A simple rain catchment, assuming you have a fence or similar raised object to which you can temporarily attach one edge of a tarp. You also need something like a few light-duty spring-clamps or c-clamps (to attach that tarp to fence, etc.), a medium-sized tarp, a polythene collection tub, a couple fence posts or poles you can advance into the ground, and some lightweight cord.

Clamp one edge of the tarp to the fence (2 neighboring corners and 2 or 3 locations between the corners).

The opposite edge of the tarp, the poles, and the tub will be in a line, some distance in front of the fence.  See the attached cartoon.

Tie or fasten the tarp to the poles so the edge close to the tub droops lower than the edge of the fence.

Rain falling on the tarp will run off into the tub. Collect that, and store in whatever container suits you.