Van Wert, OH rainwater: 32,078 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Van Wert, OH collects
32,078gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Van Wert, OH's normal 40.4 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Van Wert, OH 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 Van Wert 1 S station (1.1 mi away). Van Wert, OH ranks 141st wettest of the 176 cities covered in Ohio.
Month by month in Van Wert
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.57 | 2,043 | |
| Feb | 2.05 | 1,629 | |
| Mar | 2.52 | 2,003 | |
| Apr | 3.59 | 2,853 | 95 |
| May | 4.76 | 3,783 | |
| Jun | 4.59 | 3,648 | |
| Jul | 4.66 | 3,704 | |
| Aug | 3.95 | 3,139 | 50 |
| Sep | 3.15 | 2,504 | 150 |
| Oct | 2.99 | 2,376 | 170 |
| Nov | 2.94 | 2,337 | |
| Dec | 2.59 | 2,059 |
May is the wettest month (4.76 in, 3,783 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.05 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Barrel or cistern in Van Wert?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 371 gallons to the garden in a normal year (80.0% of its need).
Before you buy, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Van Wert's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 110 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 165 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 275 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 550 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 1,000 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 1,500 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 2,500 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
| 5,000 gal | 371 | 30,537 |
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 Ohio?
Legal. Ohio regulates rainwater cisterns used as a drinking-water source as private water systems (OAC chapter 3701-28): local health department permit, continuous disinfection and filtration. No state rule restricting non-potable collection or storage size.
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source