Bartow, FL rainwater: 40,440 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Bartow, FL
40,440gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Bartow, FL's normal 50.9 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Bartow, FL a single barrel does most of the work. Storms come often enough that a small tank refills before it runs dry, and a bigger one would mostly sit full.
Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, the Bartow 1se station (0.7 mi away). Bartow, FL ranks 155th wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in Bartow
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.66 | 2,114 | |
| Feb | 2.10 | 1,669 | |
| Mar | 2.84 | 2,257 | |
| Apr | 2.72 | 2,162 | 203 |
| May | 2.95 | 2,345 | 175 |
| Jun | 8.28 | 6,581 | |
| Jul | 7.56 | 6,009 | |
| Aug | 7.78 | 6,184 | |
| Sep | 7.31 | 5,810 | |
| Oct | 3.03 | 2,408 | 165 |
| Nov | 1.49 | 1,184 | |
| Dec | 2.16 | 1,717 |
Jun is the wettest month (8.28 in, 6,581 gal off the roof); Nov the driest (1.49 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
What size rain barrel for Bartow
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 461 gallons to the garden in a normal year (85.0% of its need).
If you set one up, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Bartow's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 110 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 165 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 275 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 550 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 1,000 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 1,500 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 2,500 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
| 5,000 gal | 461 | 38,809 |
Simulated storm by storm through a normal year using the station's count of days with 0.1 in or more of rain each month.
Is rainwater collection legal in Florida?
Legal. Florida approves onsite non-potable use of rainwater for landscape irrigation, vehicle washing, filling pools and fountains and, in some local jurisdictions, toilet/urinal flushing (Florida Plumbing Code). No state storage cap or registration for non-potable collection.
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source