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Rain barrels are an integral part of alternative stormwater management. Rain barrels are installed with current gutter systems to collect and store rain water for future use.
Why use a rain barrel?
- Capture rain water for later use
- Easy and fun to use
- Reduces runoff & erosion
- Great for watering gardens & yards, as well as washing windows & cars
- Reused 55 gallon plastic, food grade barrels
- Protects our natural resources
- Reduces water consumption during dry spells
- Help promote infiltration and groundwater recharge
- Reduces strain on urban sewer systems
Current climate change models indicate less frequent rain events that are of higher intensity than the historical average. Rain barrels allow for rain water to be stored for use in between rain events, thus reducing runoff and erosion, and increasing infiltration and groundwater recharge. Rain barrels also conserve water by allowing for the use of rain water for gardening or your lawn.
Our barrels are all reused and come from multiple sources. We obtain some barrels directly from food manufacturers that contained food ingredients such as flavorings, molasses, etc. and food cleaning solutions such as hydrogen peroxide, lactic acid, etc. We also obtain barrels from professional barrel refurbishers that triple wash their barrels.
Rain barrels are not intended for use of water collection for human or animal consumption. Because plastics and asphalt roofs have the potential to leach chemicals and many older roofs may contain asbestos, we also caution against utilizing rain barrels for use on food gardens. That being stated, rain barrels are an excellent source of water for flower gardens, your lawn, washing the car, etc. For more information, please see the City of Minneapolis’s site on rain barrels http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/stormwater/green-initiatives/rain-barrel.asp.
Because the barrels are re-used, this provides a more environmentally friendly, lower carbon footprint, product over traditionally manufactured rain barrels. Our standard rain barrels are refitted with a garden hose ready brass spigot, overflow, and a basket filter. The barrels are made from sturdy industrial plastic and therefore require little maintenance.