Rainwater totes for rowhouse roofs
A 275 gallon tote can catch the runoff from one rowhouse downspout. The arithmetic: about 0.6 gallons per square foot of roof for each inch of rain, so an 800 square foot roof puts roughly 480 gallons into a one-inch storm, more than one tote holds.
01The roof arithmetic
University of Florida extension puts one inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof at about 600 gallons collected. That is 0.6 gallons per square foot per inch, and it allows for losses a theoretical figure leaves out.
| Roof area | 0.5 inch of rain | 1 inch of rain | 2 inches of rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 150 gallons | 300 gallons | 600 gallons |
| 800 sq ft | 240 gallons | 480 gallons | 960 gallons |
| 1,000 sq ft | 300 gallons | 600 gallons | 1,200 gallons |
One inch fills a 275 gallon tote from about 458 square feet of roof (275 ÷ 0.6) and a 330 from 550. A small rowhouse roof that drains to one downspout will fill a 275 in a half-inch to one-inch storm, so plan the overflow first.
02Why a tote, not a barrel
Philadelphia’s combined sewer system serves about 60 percent of the city, so rain from a roof that drains to the street can end up in a sewer that also carries wastewater. The Philadelphia Water Department’s Rain Check program gives homeowners free rain barrels after a required workshop, and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society handles the sign-ups. A 55 gallon barrel fills from 92 square feet of roof in one inch of rain. A rowhouse roof several times that size overflows it in minutes.
A 275 gallon tote takes up where a barrel overflows. It stands on the same footprint as a pallet, 48 by 40 inches, and it is 46 inches high, so it needs a yard, a side passage or a stand to match the downspout height.
03Setting it up
- Put it on a level, firm base. A full 275 holds 2,294 pounds of water before the tote itself.
- Raise it if you want a gravity feed. Each foot of height gives about 0.43 pounds per square inch at the valve, so a tote raised three feet gives about 1.3.
- Screen the openings. UF/IFAS says openings should be screened against mosquitoes.
- Shade it. A translucent bottle in sun grows algae; paint it, wrap it or put it behind a wall.
- Plan the overflow and the winter. A full tote can freeze; drain it below the valve before a hard freeze.
04Which grade
Rainwater does not need a current retest date, since the tote is not carrying hazmat liquids. It does need a known last-contents history: a tote that held a food ingredient or only water or rinse is a fair match. Say Rainwater on the ticket as the tote’s next use. Stored rainwater is for the garden, never for drinking.
A rain tote may be covered by city, landlord or homeowners’ association rules. Ask before you buy.
05Rain Check and the city
Philadelphia’s combined sewer system serves about 60 percent of the city, which is why the Water Department’s Rain Check program gives homeowners free rain barrels after a required workshop, with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society handling sign-ups. A tote holds more than five of those barrels, but the program’s rules apply to what a homeowner may build, so ask the city before you set a tote on a stand.
Keep stored rain for plants. UF/IFAS says stored rainwater is not for drinking and that openings should be screened against mosquitoes, and the CDC says to replace stored emergency water every six months.
06Post the ticket
?Questions on this page
How fast does a 275 gallon tote fill from a rowhouse roof?
In one inch of rain, a roof of about 458 square feet draining to it fills it. Larger roofs fill it faster.
Can I drink rainwater from a tote?
No. Stored rainwater is not for drinking and a used tote is never sold for drinking water.
Does Rain Check give out totes?
Rain Check gives rain barrels after a workshop. A tote is a bigger step; the desk matches the tote.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Rules change; read the current text before you act on it.