Spots still available in LA’s Rainwater Harvesting Program

Dear friends-

There are still 170 spots available in the LA Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Program, which includes a free 55-gallon rain barrel and free setup. The program is designed to conserve potable water and reduce the amount of polluted rainwater that runs untreated into the ocean. By clicking on the link below you can find out if your home will qualify (a broad swath of LA homes do) and complete an on-line application.

Some important facts from the the article:
Though a single 55-gallon rain barrel will only catch about 10% of the 9,600 gallons of water generated in a typical year by an average 1,000-square-foot residential L.A. rooftop, those water savings are substantial. If each of the 800,000 residential parcels in L.A. were to install just a single rain barrel, the city estimates about 800 million gallons of water would be saved, which would in turn reduce the demand for tap water – a resource that’s becoming more precious as L.A. enters into a fourth year of drought.

Sourced from Chicago Rain Barrel, each barrel has already been retrofitted with a wire screen on top to screen debris, a spigot on the bottom to drain it, a connector at the bottom in case homeowners want to connect additional barrels and an overflow valve should the barrel fill up.

If you feel your home and garden could benefit from a rain barrel, have a look! Here and here.

Regards,

Matt