It’s a common problem, the city gives away water barrels and asks that you divert the water from your roof into them, easing the issue of flood water. But the barrels, with a spigot at the bottom, do not provide enough water pressure for normal use.

Bob Thom's rain barrel platform with a sink and hose attachment.

They quickly fill with water from the large roofs in Chicago, or are never connected. Bob Thom, 44, of the 2400 block of Cullom saw a need.

“The kids were using so much water, I thought we’d use the water barrel for them to get water,” Thom, owner of Thom Carpentry, Inc. says. “However the barrel on the ground didn’t have enough pressure, so I had to raise it up to get pressure.”

Viola! The idea of a platform for the water barrel.

The first issue was safety around the children. A water barrel can weigh 440 pounds, enough to cause a weak foundation to shift or a poorly built platform to be crushed. Thom reinforced the ground under the platform to allow it to take the weight of the platform evenly. For his first project he used 4×4 scraps arranged in alternating layers.

The platform sits 36 inches or so off the ground, enough, according to Thom, to provide about 15 PSI of pressure. The pressure from the city is 45 PSI. “It’s enough to water your lawn or for the kids to play with,” Thom said.

The water is not potable. Thom tells the kids not to drink it, “but it’s safe to play with,” he said. Even with greater use, the barrel is usually full.

And, Thom says he can custom build and install the platform to suit the needs of the owner. In his own yard Thom added a sink, reused from a construction project. He said he could install a “Y” connection on the spigot to allow the hose to be used too. It all depends on the owner’s needs.

The common elements are a foundation, a downspout connection and the platform frame. After that, your imagination can roam. Thom Carpentry, Inc. 1 (773) 416-3377.

Tags: Bob Thom, environmental, flooding, Recycling, water barrel