As more American’s look to improve their healthy food options by growing their own food, rain barrels have been making a comeback among even novice gardeners. Collected for non-potable use, rainwater is a free resource that has been vastly underutilized.
Like fresh vegetables from the garden, rainwater is unprocessed. According to the American Rainwater Catchment Association, rainwater is preferable to treated drinking water for use on plants. Unprocessed rainwater is low in sodium and chloramine and is fluoride free. Just one-quarter inch of rain on a 400 sq foot roof space is enough to fill an entire rain barrel.
Using rainwater for irrigation helps conserve public and private drinking water supplies and saves on the energy and costs associated with pumping and treating drinking water. The use of rain barrels also reduces storm-water runoff which helps to protect our streams and lakes from pollution and erosion. Because of the enormous amount of energy used in pumping and treating water, this helps saves on energy cost for local water utilities and its customers. In addition, capturing and using rainwater onsite means less stress on pipes and pumps, thus prolonging their longevity.
To get even more rain barrels in use in the St. Louis, RainReserve, in partnership with St. Louis Go Green will be offering a truck-load sale on Saturday, July 27th in St. Louis and Sunday, July 28th in Lake St. Louis. The use of a diverter with a rain barrel prevents access to standing water which can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The 60-gallon rain barrels are available in four colors and each comes with a downspout diverter kit. Diverters make maintenance simpler and allow expansion to a two barrel system on one downspout. A complete rain barrel system , typically $164.99 plus shipping, will be available for $99.99 plus tax if pre-ordered online and $109.99 for walk-up purchases. Each system includes all the parts for a complete rain barrel system and an instruction manual for installation.
The event is open to all residents of the St. Louis Region. Due to the expected demand and limited supply, the public is being encouraged to pre-order online.
For more information or to pre-order visit www.rainreserve.com/STL.