Batavia offering discounted rain barrels

Daily Herald report

In anticipation of Earth Week, Batavia and the Conservation Foundation are collaborating to offer rain barrels for sale at a discounted price through April 22.

In addition to the rain barrel sale, Batavia will be hosting a “Conservation@Home” program presentation put on by the foundation at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall, 100 N. Island Ave.

The presentation will cover topics such as rain gardens, certifying your home for their Conservation@Home program, native plants and how to connect and use your rain barrels.

Rain barrels are simply large containers that capture rainwater at the end of a downspout and store the water for later use, for example in watering plants or washing cars. Using water from rain barrels as a resource lowers water bills, helps reduce flooding, and can have a dramatic impact on water quality in our rivers and streams.

“We are happy to work with Batavia to make rain barrels available to homeowners and businesses in our community,” said Brook McDonald, president and CEO of the Conservation Foundation.

“We share with the city the common goal of environmental stewardship of our rivers, streams and other valuable natural resources.”

Interested residents and nonresidents can order a rain barrel online at www.cityofbatavia.net/rainbarrels and click on “link” to place your order. The 55-gallon rain barrels will be sold for $76 each if ordered by April 22. The preordered barrels will be available for pickup from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 30, at the Clark Island parking lot, 411 S. River St.

The 55-gallon, recycled plastic rain barrels come equipped with a spigot, a screw-off lid, a garden hose threaded overflow and screen in the top to help keep out bugs and debris.

Here are the top five facts about rain barrels, as posted at www.theconservation foundation.org:

Ÿ It’s estimated that during the hot summer months, the average homeowner uses 40 percent of the household water in the yard.

Ÿ Collecting the mineral rich- and chlorine-free rain that falls on your roof can help your garden, houseplants and reduce your water bill.

Ÿ Modern rain barrels are sealed, safe around children and insect resistant.

Ÿ A hose spigot on the front makes the captured rainwater available.

Ÿ A quarter-inch of rain falling on the average home yields more than 200 gallons of water.