Cheapest: plastic garbage cans with window screening across the top "for metal window screening, cut a circle about 8" larger across than the top of the can, lay it in place, use metal shears to cut from edge of screening to edge of can, fold down to hold in place; for vinyl screening, cover with a goodsized piece and tie in place.) If you've got any incline down to the garden area at all, hook hose to faucet, put other end in full garbage can, turn on hose to fill it (hose), then turn off and quickly remove end of hose from faucet. Keep it near the ground and move end to planted area. If you don't want to use screening, add goldfish. Washing dirty hands in the bucket will create fast algae buildup, which isn't necessarily bad, as it is good fertilizer for plants. The cheapest water collection barrels usually cost about $50, from what I've seen. There must be some kind of direct connection with a filter that fits them. With a fairly tight container, you'll need a screen airhole to let air out as water enters. Cheaper than a concrete cistern: Buy a large plastic water tank/cistern, wrap it with several layers of chicken wire, then apply a 1" thick layer of concrete. It will eliminate UV damage to the tank (making it last practically forever), and it will keep the water cooler (esp if you paint the concrete white). Call well people for info. Beware of used drums. If they contained something that will contaminate the water, they will probably continue to do so. Some places that put food materials in new drums will sell new ones to you, maybe about $10. If you have any slope to your land, maybe even a small, lined pond in the elevated area? Check your local laws first. Google 'rainwater harvesting' for more ideas. Sue

I bought one last year. Maybe from azponds or pondmegastore. Can't remember which. I was using a sump pump in my pond and read so much negative comments, decided I wouldn't do that anymore. They say they are not made for ponds and are filled with oil. If they go ka-put, they will spill oil into your pond. I didn't want to take a chance with my fish and plants. Glenda

Which way to water should also take into account what you would like to plant. If you are big tomato growers then expect to use a lot more water, peppers less. Well water can vary in the minerals dissolved in it; this will impact on fertilization strategy. Rain water catchment is limited by your holding cistern/tanks & that capacity build up is a long term budget calculation. Municipal aqueduct piped water is vulnerable to factors beyond your control. If a drought emergency is declared, main ruptures or zoning use enforced they can shut you down. Price per unit of water would need studying. As for the purification chemicals you can process them easily to be benign. Anybody with a superb year round well with good volume output is wise to develop the resource. You can buy a submersible 12volt (or 24 volt) "NEMO" online brand of submersible deep well water pumps really quite cheap; run it off you vehicle's battery ( if you have a vehicle), or get a battery/solar charger for a deep cycle battery bank.

I don't know about that. The overriding concern would be that the greywater not be able to backflow into the public water supply. Probably the only legit way to do that would be to have the public water supply fill the cistern if it got low - and it would have to have proper air gaps, etc. for the filling mechanism.