The Somerset Conservation District has rain barrels available for purchase. A rain barrel is simply a container placed at the end of a downspout that collects and stores rooftop runoff—and rooftop runoff may amount to more water than you think! An average size house will shed 720 gallons of rainwater during a one inch rainfall. In Somerset the average size house will shed over 30,000 gallons of water in a year.
The benefits of collecting rainwater with a rain barrel are only limited by one's imagination. The most obvious advantage of harvesting rainwater with a rain barrel may be to save money on water bills. Because rain is a natural source of soft water, it is great for watering gardens and house plants in dryer months. Rainwater is also good for washing cars, pets and windows. Besides saving money, rain barrels are an excellent way to help minimize the detrimental effects of storm water runoff. Water that runs over roads and parking lots picks up chemicals and sediment before entering a storm sewer or stream untreated. This type of pollution is our leading source of water quality problems. Using rain barrels helps reduce the amount of storm water runoff, and can be used in ways that will allow the water to slowly infiltrate into the ground rather than rapidly running over roads and sidewalks and entering the stream polluted.
The barrels are constructed from recycled plastic 55-gallon food-grade containers. They have a spigot at the bottom, a hose adapter at the top for overflow and a screen over the intake to prevent mosquito breeding.
The barrels are constructed locally. For more information or questions, or to order your rain barrel and hold it for pickup, please contact Bud Weyand at 814-444-2293.
