Egremont — Whether your drinking water comes from a well or a water company, its supply is finite. One way to conserve our good drinking water is to collect rainwater for our gardens or wherever “gray” water is sufficient.
Much rain falls on our roofs. An inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof generates about 600 gallons of water. If that rain drips into a gutter, it can be collected in a rain barrel and then sent to the garden via a hose.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts encourages the use of rain barrels and has selected The Great American Rain Barrel Company (TGARB) as an approved vendor. The Egremont Green Committee is partnering with TGARB to offer high-quality rain barrels for harvesting rainwater. As a result of this partnership, we are able to purchase the barrels through the town of Egremont at a reduced government rate of $69 (painted) or $64 (unpainted). This is well below retail pricing.
Using rainwater reduces stress on water systems (whether the aquifer or the town water company), especially in times of drought. Because rain sometimes arrives in torrents, diverting some into rain barrels helps slow down runoff and subsequent erosion. Finally, because rainwater isn’t chlorinated, it’s great for plants and lawn.
The 60-gallon TGARB barrels arrive in Hyde Park, Mass., full of Spanish olives and are repurposed there. With their 3/16” wall thickness, they are the most durable on the market, and will last for years when properly drained and stored for winter. They come with a lid to keep mosquitoes out. Several can be linked together to store even more water.
For more general information, go to the company’s website. To order, go here and select “Egremont,” and purchase with a credit card directly from TGARB, or call 800-251-2352.
The order deadline is Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Pickup will be in mid-May at the Egremont Town Hall campus on Rte 71.
Questions? Contact Barbara Kalish at barbara.kalish24@gmail.com.
We’d love to hear from you. The Egremont Green Committee can be reached at egremont.green@gmail.com.
