West Melbourne, FL rainwater: 43,802 gallons off a roof
West Melbourne, FL: gallons off the roof each year
43,802gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under West Melbourne, FL's normal 55.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In West Melbourne, 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 Palm Bay 3.1 Nnw station (2.6 mi away). West Melbourne, FL ranks 102nd wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in West Melbourne
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.67 | 2,122 | |
| Feb | 2.49 | 1,979 | |
| Mar | 3.07 | 2,440 | |
| Apr | 2.77 | 2,202 | 197 |
| May | 4.10 | 3,259 | 31 |
| Jun | 7.80 | 6,199 | |
| Jul | 6.45 | 5,126 | |
| Aug | 7.33 | 5,826 | |
| Sep | 8.00 | 6,358 | |
| Oct | 5.52 | 4,387 | |
| Nov | 2.60 | 2,066 | |
| Dec | 2.31 | 1,836 |
Sep is the wettest month (8.00 in, 6,358 gal off the roof); Dec the driest (2.31 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 West Melbourne
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 197 gallons to the garden in a normal year (86.3% 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 West Melbourne's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 110 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 165 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 275 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 550 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 1,000 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 1,500 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 2,500 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
| 5,000 gal | 197 | 42,495 |
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