News
Free Rain Barrels Help Reduce Stormwater Pollution
Apr 11, 2006 by Natalie White
Barrels free for Clarke County residents
Athens-Clarke County stormwater management has partnered with the Athens-Clarke County extension service to provide constructed rain barrels free of charge to Clarke County residents on a first come, first served basis.
Rain barrels are designed to fit underneath the gutter downspouts on most homes. The fifty-five gallon plastic barrels were donated by the Atlanta Coca-Cola Bottling Company and have been modified to include drains and a spigot.
Using a rain barrel to collect the water that flows off of your rooftop can lessen the amount of pollution that area waters receive from stormwater discharges. The collected stormwater never has a chance to pick up common pollutants like lawn fertilizer, pet waste, motor oil and sediment. Instead, it is stored away for later use.
“Our goal for this project is to begin to create a public awareness about the effects of stormwater runoff,” explains Cail Hammons, ACC stormwater education coordinator. “Hopefully giving residents a way to store roof runoff will encourage people to think of stormwater as a resource rather than a nuisance.”
Water collected in a rain barrel can be used for landscape or gardening purposes. Residents can pick up their free barrels beginning at 10 am on Saturday, April 22 at the Old Farmers Market on Broad Street, next door to the county extension office. Participants must show proof of Clarke County residency. Barrels will be distributed one per household.
Though the barrels are offered free of charge, a donation to the Clarke County Senior 4H program is encouraged.
The rain barrel distribution is offered as part of the month-long GreenFest celebration. GreenFest is an annual community event promoting environmental awareness. For a complete schedule of GreenFest events, visit www.athensgreenfest.org.
The Athens-Clarke stormwater program works to improve drainage conditions, to protect water quality, and to educate the public about the importance of proper stormwater management. For more information about stormwater management in Athens-Clarke County visit the stormwater program online at www.accstormwater.com.
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Media Contact: Cail Hammons (706) 613-3440 ext. 384
Tagged: rain barrels, stormwater pollution, capturing runoff
