Today is the final day to reserve a rain barrel through the village website.
The 55-gallon barrels are made of recycled food-grade plastic and come equipped with a spigot, garden hose threaded overflow, a screen in the top to help keep out bugs and debris, and a screw-off lid. They are available in terra cotta, gray or black and also may be painted.
The cost for each barrel is $70 and is payable on pick-up day, May 8, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Village Hall parking lot near the police station. Note that the pick-up site has changed, due to popular response. The village has sold 450 barrels, which is more than double the original goal for the program.
More good news: the village has determined that water collected in rain barrels isn’t subject to its water restriction and conservation policies.
But with all those barrels to be loaded next Saturday, volunteer help is needed to direct traffic, explain the procedure to waiting residents and load the barrels into vehicles. If you’re able to help, call Mary Scalzetti at (630)434-5559 or e-mail her at mscalzetti@downers.us.
For more reasons to purchase a rain barrel, click here.
It is terrific that 450 people (me included) will be conserving water this summer by using a rain barrel. I can’t wait to get mine and start collecting rain water.
It appears the village is going to run the pick up very efficiently by assigning specific times. I just got an e-mail telling me when to show up and reminding me to have a check made out to the Conservation Foundation.
Looks like they sold a few more barrels, too. The count is up to 475.
I’m positively giddy at the thought of watering my back garden from the barrel. No more deluging the patio!
What a difference a few states make. A buddy in Colorado tells me that they weren’t allowed to collect the rain water.
We’ll be there picking ours up.
Thanks for posting this EJ. Several civic and church groups got behind this effort. We will need help. We’re looking for two crews, morning from 8am to 11am or so, and second shift from 10:30 to 1:30. The morning crew will help set up, the late crew will help take down, the overlap is so you can pick up what’s being done on the fly.
There will be a procrastinator’s opportunity to order a barrel, or an additional barrel, and Mary is scheduling the Public Works Open House for delivery of those.
Residents can be very proud that the demand here in DG crushed expectations, as well as comp sales in surrounding communities. A rain barrel is good for your garden, and a very effective low tech way to help storm-water mitigation in the village.
I ordered mine at the last minute, after determining where I could put it to be most effective, and that my son’s employee discount at Wannemakers wasn’t enough to offset the village subsidy (and the benefit to the Conservation Foundation).
Atta boy, Bob! You’re gonna love how your plants love it. The village has steadily added information to their page, including installation instructions, videos and additional links:
http://www.downers.us/story/view/330
Gentle readers please note there are specific windows for pick up time to try and minimize delays. See you all there!