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If one million Americans used rain barrels, they could collect enough water for the daily usage of one million people. Many regions can't handle the rain they get already.  Storm water washing off roads and roofs crashes into streams with such force that it rips out banks, riverbeds, and infrastructure. Storm water can do double damage. Instead of soaking into the ground, where it recharges rivers and lakes, high levels of dirty, high-impact storm water can rush across the surface and spread pollutants. The solution is delightfully low-tech:  slow the water down so that it can soak into the ground, or collect it in rain barrels and reuse to irrigate lawns and gardens. How to slow it down?  Replace large concrete or asphalt areas with paving or bricks with space between for water drainage, or remove the central part of your driveway (keep the asphalt only for the tire tracks).  You can also use porous asphalt or permeable concrete.  Here are some ideas for more ways to reduce stormwater runoff. And here are step by step instructions on how to make your own rain barrel!