Rain barrels offered at discount for Cape residents

Published on Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Grant Funds
CCC Distribution of Barrels to Conserve Water


BARNSTABLE COUNTY, MA -- The Cape Cod Commission is pleased to announce that the regional land use planning agency has received a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide a limited number of New England Rain Barrels to Cape Cod residents at the discounted price of $56.50, almost 40 percent off the retail price of $89, this spring.

The Cape Cod Commission has teamed up with The New England Rain Barrel Company and DEP to offer these rain barrels to help residents conserve water, save money, and reduce stormwater run-off. Rain barrel water can be used to water the garden throughout the growing season. The average homeowner uses approximately 40 percent of water for outdoor use. A one-inch rainfall on a 1,200-square-foot roof will yield over 700 gallons of water.

“Using a rain barrel is an excellent way to conserve some of this water,” says Commission Hydrologist Gabrielle Belfit. “A quarter-inch run-off from an average roof will easily fill the barrel. If you have five storms a season, that equals 275 gallons of free water.”

Rain barrel use reduces the stress on municipal water systems during the summer months and improves stormwater management.

The rain barrels are made from 55-gallon blue plastic recycled containers. The top does not come off, so children and pets cannot get in the barrel. It has a six-inch diameter inlet opening covered with a screened louver to keep out insects and debris. The barrels have two brass spigots; one to allow a connection to a hose for watering, and one for overflow. A hose can also be connected to the overflow spigot to redirect the water away from a home. The barrel comes with a five-foot hose with a shut-off valve. Multiple barrels can be joined through hose connections for additional capacity.

Those curious about how the barrels work may see an on-site demonstration at the Meetinghouse Farm on Route 149 in West Barnstable on Friday, May 16, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The community event, hosted by AmeriCorps Cape Cod with a grant from the Massachusetts Service Alliance and Barnstable County, will feature a variety of sustainable horticultural and agricultural demonstrations as the culmination of week-long service projects on the farm. Two rain barrels were donated by The New England Rain Barrel Company to provide water to the farm's greenhouse area. Staff from the Cape Cod Commission will be on hand to make a "Rain Barrel 101" presentation covering sizing, installation, and operation.

Orders for the discounted rain barrels may be placed and paid in advance by toll-free phone calls to (877) 977-3135 or online at www.nerainbarrel.com before May 27, 2008.

Once ordered, the barrels will be available for buyers to pick up at the following locations:

Mashpee High School, Rte. 151, Mashpee, May 31, 9 a.m.-noon
Barnstable County Complex, Rte. 6A, Barnstable, May 31, 3-6 p.m.
Cape Cod Regional Tech High School, Rte. 124, Harwich, June 1, 10 a.m.-1p.m.

Limited quantities of barrels are available at the extra-discounted ($56.50) price, after which they will be available at a discount for $66.50. For further information, please call (877) 977-3135.