On 9/26/2015 10:50 AM, KenK wrote:
I have two trash barrels that I use to hold water so I can flush the
toilet during a power outage when my well pump isn't working.

Yes, but you keep those full all the time (and covered, presumably)?
When in use ("deployed"), these wait for rain, fill up and are then
emptied in the ~3 days following the rainfall (to avoid standing water).
This repeats as often as we have rain -- regardless of whether the barrels
fill completely or only partially.

It's not possible to empty them completely with siphon or submersible
pump. So, they get tipped over to dump the last bits of rainwater out
(so they *will* be bone dry before the skeeters find them!)

At the end of Monsoon, they get stored in a side yard, upside down
(to ensure some "freak" precipitation doesn't result in standing water
in any of them -- that I'd not notice as I don't make a habit out of
"inspecting" that side yard)

One has had a leak for the past few years. I just emptied it and put a
39 gallon lawn/leaf bag in it, folded it over the outside of the barrel
and secured it with a couple pieces of duct tape. Bag needs replacing
every few years as plastic deteriorates.

I don't think that would work. Pump would suck the bag into the impeller
(how do *you* empty it?). Tipping the barrel over (to empty it completely)
would cause the bag to flop out (I guess some double-sided tape near
the bottom of the barrel could minimize this problem).

I think I could slather some adhesive on the inside of the bottom
and install a patch, there. Given the length of time that the
barrel takes to empty, I can't imagine I'd need a very *robust*
patch -- just something that presents a slightly greater
impediment to the water exiting.