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Rain Barrels

Collecting rainwater is one of the easiest steps you can take to make a positive ecological and economical impact.

Why Buy a Rain Barrel?

Despite being the most abundant natural resource on the plant, water is precious resource and its important that we all do our part in conserving water. Collecting rainwater is one of the easiest steps you can take to make a positive ecological and economical impact. As a bonus, rain barrels benefit your plants and pockets too!

Here are seven reasons why you SHOULD be using a residential rain barrel:

Rain Barrels Conserve Water

    Ditch the tap water and take advantage of the water savings you get when you install a rain barrel on your property. Rain barrels store gallons of water that can be used for

    • Watering the lawn and garden
    • Watering indoor plants
    • Washing your car
    • Cleaning driveways, patios, and other outdoor areas
    Rain Barrels Save you Money

    Money doesn’t grow on trees, but it might as well fall from the sky. With a rain barrel, you can collect rainwater from your gutter downspout and use it around your home and garden, which means spending less on your water bills.

    Even if you’re not one to worry about your environmental impact, you certainly care about the impact water use has on your wallet. Every gallon of harvested rainwater you use around the house is a gallon you don’t have to pay for.

    Rainwater Is Better for Plants

    If you’ve noticed that your garden looks extra vibrant after rain, even when you adamantly water your garden with tap water, there’s a reason for that.

    Municipal water is often treated with chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride and can harm sensitive plants. Even well water can contain iron and other heavy minerals.

    With minimal contaminants, rainwater is the best choice for your plants. Rainwater even contains a nutrient called nitrate, a key macronutrient for plants.

    Note: Remember that as rainwater flows over a roof surface it can pick up pollutants such as bacteria from birds and other animals, and chemicals from roof materials - factors to consider when thinking about using rain barrel water on edible plantings.

    Rain Barrels are Easy to Use

    Rain barrels don’t require any major installations. Simply connect a hose to the spigot and use it just like a regular hose while gravity provides pressure to empty the water. Barrels are suitable for many outdoor uses and also provide a source of water in periods of drought and water scarcity without drawing on limited community resources.

    Rain Barrels Reduce Water Runoff

    Every gallon that goes into a rain barrel is a gallon that doesn’t go into storm sewers, streams, or rivers. This effectively decreases river flooding, property runoff, and sewer overflows; helping to prevent pollutants like fertilizer, animal waste, and other debris from entering waterways and harming the plants and animals that live there.

    Runoff is a problem in urban and suburban areas, polluting our waterways with fertilizers, pesticides, and other contaminants. Running water also gathers leaves as it flows, causing storm drain blockages and floods. Reducing runoff helps keep streams clear, and the plants and animals that rely on them healthy.

    Improves Local Water Quality

    Keeping dirt, pesticides, fertilizers, and yard debris out of our local rivers and streams also improves the local water quality. Polluted runoff from storm drains enters natural waterways and causes a lot of downstream damage.

    Preventing that improves the quality of the local waterways, keeping our streams and lakes healthier, along with the humans and animals that use them.

    Rain Barrels Prevent Erosion

    Reduced water runoff also means that less water is pelting the soil, eroding susceptible erosion zones. Coastal and freshwater shorelines play a major role in the ecosystem. When erosion occurs, it causes many shoreline erosion problems; plants get washed away, animals lose their habitat, and houses can even crumble. Preventing flooding through the use of rain barrels can help prevent damage to shorelines.