Rainwater off of a Roof

Question

My wife says we cannot water our garden with rainwater that comes off of a roof into a food safe container. What is the truth? The house is a few years old.

Answer 1

If your roof is a few years old, the water should be safe, as any dangerous chemicals will have leached out by now. That being said, it is always best to have rainwater collected off of a roof tested before you use it in your vegetable garden. If you take a sample of collected rainwater to your local extension office, they should be able to test it for you.