Growing School Food Gardens

Hi,

Has anyone used old wine barrels as rain barrels??  I am considering this. I found a site that sells them with a spigot and netted hole on top for a reasonable price, but I do not know the long term life of a wood rain barrel in the elements. 

The reason I am consider this is that plastic worries me, esp outside where it's exposed to sun/heat.  I know I shouldn't be trying to make my life harder :) but I am active in Beyond Plastics and learning about plastic in our world (actively advocating for natural grass sports fields in SF Bay Area) and so when the idea of rain barrels came up, I had to pause to consider the material.  There is concern about PFAS and other chemicals in plastic leaching into water. https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-releases-data-leaching-pfas-fluorinated-packaging

PVC pipes are not so great.  We can't do much about rubber tubing etc, but there is some theory that when water just runs through plastic and doesn't sit stagnant in it, it might not collect as much or any chemicals.  However, with the rain barrel idea, i am not sure in  our school setting that we would regularly empty it. 

I did do some calculations and it is possible if we are actively using it, we'd run through the water quickly.  And we are planning on using them more as water tanks so filling with hose water rather than collecting rain since one location does not have a good collection roof.

I am seriously considering wine barrels.  I might just get one to try it too, but I thought I'd check in this group in case anyone has experience with it.

Thanks!
Pam