Sanford, FL rainwater: 42,943 gallons off a roof
Sanford, FL: gallons off the roof each year
42,943gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Sanford, FL's normal 54.0 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Sanford, 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 Sanford station (1.8 mi away). Sanford, FL ranks 113th wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in Sanford
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.77 | 2,202 | |
| Feb | 2.51 | 1,995 | |
| Mar | 3.17 | 2,520 | |
| Apr | 2.54 | 2,019 | 226 |
| May | 3.44 | 2,734 | 113 |
| Jun | 8.16 | 6,486 | |
| Jul | 8.19 | 6,509 | |
| Aug | 8.14 | 6,470 | |
| Sep | 6.35 | 5,047 | |
| Oct | 4.26 | 3,386 | 11 |
| Nov | 2.01 | 1,598 | |
| Dec | 2.49 | 1,979 |
Jul is the wettest month (8.19 in, 6,509 gal off the roof); Nov the driest (2.01 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 Sanford
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 296 gallons to the garden in a normal year (84.5% of its need).
If you buy one, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Sanford's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 110 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 165 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 275 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 550 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 1,000 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 1,500 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 2,500 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
| 5,000 gal | 296 | 41,417 |
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