May 8, 2009 4:00 pm US/Eastern
Green Scene: Rain Barrels
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
The last few weeks have brought plenty of rain, and some local folks are saving that rain to help the environment.
It's a rainy day, but Marc Cortez and his wife don't mind.
"I'm thinking of all the water I can collect," said Cortez.
Water runs off the roof into their rain barrels.
"The two barrels hold about 55 gallons a piece, that's about 110 gallons here," Cortez showed us. And a third barrel is full too!
"In a downpour, these barrels could fill in about an hour," said Cortez.
Instead of using fresh water to water their garden, they use their rain barrels.
Not only does it save a natural resource, it helps stop a nasty problem.
Joanne Dahme of the Philadelphia Water Department explained, "These sewer systems are designed to overflow under heavy rain situations. So in our rivers and streams, we get a combination of sewage and storm water."
The pavement of urban areas stops water from being absorbed naturally. To help stop flooding, the city of Philadelphia has been teaching about rain barrels at events like these, and even giving them away. Officials say every barrel helps.
"A rain barrel holds 54 gallons," said Dahme. "It doesn't sound like a whole lot, but if you have many properties that are each carrying 54 gallons, those numbers add up."
They estimate the saved water could fill eight Olympic-size swimming pools every year, so April showers can feed May flowers once it stops raining.
You can get a rain barrel at a home improvement store. Prices start around $90.
Philadelphians can sign up for a workshop and receive a free one.
LINK
Philadelphia Rain Barrel Workshops:
www.phillywatersheds.org
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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