Rome, NY rainwater: 34,828 gallons off a roof
Rome, NY: gallons off the roof each year
34,828gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Rome, NY's normal 43.8 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Rome, NY 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 Rome Griffiss Airfield station (4.0 mi away). Rome, NY ranks 60th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Rome
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.50 | 1,987 | |
| Feb | 2.37 | 1,884 | |
| Mar | 3.43 | 2,726 | |
| Apr | 3.72 | 2,957 | 79 |
| May | 4.46 | 3,545 | |
| Jun | 4.20 | 3,338 | 19 |
| Jul | 4.25 | 3,378 | 12 |
| Aug | 3.60 | 2,861 | 94 |
| Sep | 3.95 | 3,139 | 50 |
| Oct | 4.67 | 3,712 | |
| Nov | 3.72 | 2,957 | |
| Dec | 2.95 | 2,345 |
Oct is the wettest month (4.67 in, 3,712 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.37 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Which tank size is worth it in Rome
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 191 gallons to the garden in a normal year (75.5% 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 Rome's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 110 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 165 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 275 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 550 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 1,000 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 1,500 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 2,500 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
| 5,000 gal | 191 | 33,212 |
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 New York?
No statewide rainwater harvesting regulations; check county for local incentives
From the 2015 (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory report 24347); not yet re-checked against current law, so check with your state water agency before building anything large. Source