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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Rivers Council today launched phase two of its phenomenally successful rain harvesting program, and it all starts with a barrel under a rain spout.
"Collecting water out of the sky is free, and there's simply no reason we wouldn't reduce our water demand this simple way," said Zach Frankel of Utah Rivers Council.
Murray City, Park City, Ogden, and Sandy City are making the 50-gallon barrels, designed for rain harvesting, available at a subsidized rate of $40 per barrel at savesomethingutah.org. Outside of those cities, you can order one for $75. They retail for $130.
"A lot of people are becoming water stewards because they are taking a keen interest in their water use," said Frankel.
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Save Something Utah
Saving water keeps our rivers and streams healthy which is essential for fish and wildlife species which need water to survive Utah's dry summers.The rain barrels should be placed under a rain spout to collect water during storms. A mesh screen on top prevents mosquitoes from breeding, however, the Utah Rivers Council recommends emptying the barrels every ten days to discourage mosquito problems. To use the water, there's a hose at the base of the barrel. Some rain harvesters fill a watering bucket or use a hose to water dry spots in the lawn.
"People are very, very excited about collecting rainwater," said Frankel.
Earlier this year, Murray and Salt Lake City were the first communities in Utah to offer the barrels.
"We initially started by purchasing 100 barrels, and we went through those barrels instantly," said Ted Eyre, mayor of Murray. "So, we had to purchase an additional 50 barrels, to expand the program, and those barrels went almost instantly."
The city ultimately sold 460 barrels and expects just as much interest this year.
One study out of Denver shows a homeowner can save 11,000 gallons a year rain harvesting from an average 1500-square-foot home.
"It only takes one of those short, heavy rainfalls to fill up one of these 50-gallon barrels," said Eyre.
