Sweetwater, FL rainwater: 55,430 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Sweetwater, FL collects
55,430gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Sweetwater, FL's normal 69.7 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Sweetwater, 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 Miami Nwsfo station (2.0 mi away). Sweetwater, FL ranks 4th wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in Sweetwater
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.03 | 1,613 | |
| Feb | 2.20 | 1,749 | |
| Mar | 2.27 | 1,804 | |
| Apr | 3.43 | 2,726 | 115 |
| May | 6.44 | 5,119 | |
| Jun | 10.39 | 8,258 | |
| Jul | 8.65 | 6,875 | |
| Aug | 10.84 | 8,616 | |
| Sep | 9.32 | 7,408 | |
| Oct | 8.38 | 6,660 | |
| Nov | 3.40 | 2,702 | |
| Dec | 2.39 | 1,900 |
Aug is the wettest month (10.84 in, 8,616 gal off the roof); Jan the driest (2.03 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 Sweetwater
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 99 gallons to the garden in a normal year (86.3% 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 Sweetwater's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 110 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 165 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 275 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 550 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 1,000 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 1,500 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 2,500 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
| 5,000 gal | 99 | 53,920 |
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