Programs

What is a rain barrel?

Rain Barrels allow residents to harvest and store rainwater from their roofs. Not only do rain barrels provide a free, clean source of water for your yard and garden but they also divert rainwater from overtaxed stormwater infrastructure to help alleviate flooding during storms. Check with your municipality to see if they sponsor a discounted rain barrel purchasing program. For more info on the importance of rain barrels, check out the US EPA’s Soak Up the Rain  initiative.

Buying a Rain Barrel

Rain barrels come in all different colors, sizes and shapes. Just do a quick Google search and you’ll see the wide variety of options and ways to customize your rain barrel. If you don’t like the look of one rain barrel, keep searching. Many homeowners get creative and paint their rain barrels to match their home or to stand out as a piece of garden art.

Painting Rain Barrel Instructions

Here are some resources for purchasing a rain barrel for your home:

• Clean Air Gardening
• The Conservation Foundation
• National Geographic’s Rain Barrel Buying Guide

Contact SCARCE if you would like to schedule a program on water-related environmental issues.

Water conservation and stormwater management education is funded in part by DuPage County Stormwater Management.