Water Reclamation District offers rain barrels
Rain barrels help manage and control Rainer water run-off on your property and provides a way to water your lawn while reducing the costs of water service. New low pricing is available for MWRD rain barrels for Cook County residents: $21.96, seniors 65+ $10.98. Prices for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) rain barrels have been deeply discounted.
The MWRD Board of Commissioners recently approved subsidies for Cook County residents. At $21.96 each, there is a limit of two. For residents age 65+, the price is $10.98 per barrel, also limit two. There are no delivery charges.
“We are happy to continue this popular program at discounted rates to ensure we are collecting as much water as possible during heavy rains,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “Please consider installing a rain barrel and help us manage stormwater and protect our water environment.”
Now in its 15th year, the MWRD rain barrel program promotes water conservation and green infrastructure to capture rainwater from roofs and save it for later use. The rain barrels provide a variety of benefits, including:
– Disconnecting downspouts and hooking up rain barrels can help reduce basement backups and flooding by decreasing the amount of water overwhelming the sewer system during heavy rains.
– Rain barrels and similar forms of green infrastructure can also improve area water quality by reducing the amount of urban runoff entering area waterways or inundating the MWRD’s seven water reclamation plants.
– Rain barrels can save homeowners on their water bills and conserve filtered, treated drinking water for other purposes.
– The water can be used to water lawns, plants and gardens and wash cars, work boots and tools.
– By refreshing lawns and gardens with the reused water, rain barrel users can help recharge underground aquifers during dry spells.
Since 2014, the MWRD has distributed nearly 137,000 rain barrels to homeowners, businesses and community organizations partnering with the MWRD to protect their water environment. MWRD rain barrel demand increased in 2020. As more homeowners were trapped in quarantine, they spent more time in their gardens and improving outdoor spaces.
“We all know how we should recycle plastics, glass, and paper, etc., but water must be recycled too,” said MWRD Commissioner Josina Morita. “Rain barrels are a valuable form of green infrastructure, and the more opportunities we have to collect rainwater, the better are our chances of relieving our sewers and infrastructure and protecting our homes from basement backups and our communities from flooding.”
The recycled MWRD rain barrels include a leaf and mosquito filter screen, spigot, overflow adaptor and overflow hose. The rain barrels come in four colors: black, blue, terra cotta and gray.
For installation instructions, watch the MWRD’s video by clicking here.
To learn about other green infrastructure practices to be incorporated at home, read the MWRD’s Green Neighbor Guide. For more information, call (312) 751-6633, visit mwrd.org, or email public.affairs@mwrd.org.
Once installed, the MWRD encourages rain barrel users to contact the MWRD or tag the MWRD with a picture and post on social media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter using #MWRDRainBarrel.
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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