Tips to conserve water indoors and out

Rain barrels offer green
alternative to watering yards

By Erin McClary
C & G Staff Writer

Instead of saving up for a rainy day, try saving up on a rainy day.

With rain barrels, homeowners are keeping their gardens green this year while also saving money. And these eco-friendly products are not hard to come by. Garden centers throughout metro Detroit have started ordering more as demand is increasing.

Rain barrels come as 50- to 75-gallon plastic containers built to trap and store rainwater. A screen-protected inlet prevents insects from invading, and separate spigots allow for hose connection and water overflow.

Some barrels are even decorative, resembling large terra cotta vases, said Bob Feys, owner of Woodward Gardens in Birmingham. Others are strictly functional, not as easy on the eyes, but easy to hide behind trees or shrubbery.

Feys said most rain barrels connect right to your gutter and collect rainwater straight from your roof. Once the barrel is full, it’s ready to water your plants.

“There’s a hose at the bottom and it’s gravity fed,” he explained. “The water pressure from the top will push it out.”

But some of the larger rain barrels have to be connected directly to the gutter, which may call for some cutting and installation, which isn’t hard.

Prices vary, too. For larger rain barrels, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $170. But Kathryn Swartz, conservation associate for American Rivers, said it’s worth it. Rain barrels will capture hundreds of gallons of water each season.

“Rain barrels are an easy way to catch and store rain for watering gardens, shrubs and trees. They also help prevent storm water from overwhelming our aging water systems, or flowing over dirty streets and parking lots and polluting local streams,” she said. “By catching the rain and reusing it, residents can help the environment and save money at the same time.”

In a partnership with a company called New England Rain Barrel, American Rivers sold 92 rain barrels this March alone through a program in the northern Ohio and southeast Michigan area. American Rivers reported that just a 1-inch rainfall over a 1,200-square-foot roof could yield up to 700 gallons of water. For the average homeowner who spends 40 percent of their utility bill on outdoor watering, just a quarter-inch runoff from an average roof could water plants for days.

American Rivers, founded in 1973, is a national nonprofit water conservation organization dedicated to restoring natural rivers in an effort to benefit people, fish and wildlife, as well as the environment.

“We all need clean water, and it’s important that we use water wisely,” said Swartz.

Lilly Ennes, manager of Wiegand’s Nursery in Macomb Township, said her store started carrying rain barrels after residents came in requesting them at the beginning of the season.

“We’ve had people asking us for them this year,” she said. “After the fifth one, we started carrying them.”

The rain barrels available at Wiegand’s are green, said Ennes, and will blend in nicely with most shrubbery. They hold 60 gallons of water and are on their shelves for $170 right now.

“People start thinking, ‘Let’s start saving water,’” and when there’s something new being offered, people want to check it out, she said.

For those who live in an apartment or don’t have access to a gutter, Feys suggested using a regular household bucket to help save up for watering indoor plants. When letting your bath water heat up in the morning, catch the cold stuff with a bucket, he said. Or if that’s not an option, just set your bucket outside to capture rainwater.

You can reach Staff Writer Erin McClary at emcclary@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1118.