Earth Month: Santa Clarita program offers barrels to help collect, recycle rainwater
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Rain Barrel Purchase Program is back in Santa Clarita. Twice a year for $40 plus tax, city residents can get a retrofitted and repurposed food grade plastic barrel that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Instead, they will sit at the bottom of gutters collecting water to be recycled.
Participants also get a lesson on rainwater harvesting, cultivation of native plants and other water conservation tips. They also learn about the installation and benefits of the barrel, which can hold about 60 gallons of rainwater.
"A 10th of an inch of rain, a thousand square foot can easily fill these things up depending upon the time; some of these downpours we have will fill it up in a minute, but some of these all day long drizzle drizzle will fill it up just as well," said Steve Regez, with Rain Barrels International Southern California.
Those making the barrels say they are also good at keeping the unwanted out.
"It's very secure. Keeps squirrels, cats, pests and all that from getting inside and most importantly keeps out the mosquitoes," said Regez.
Two barrels are allowed per household.
"I've started gardening more, growing vegetables and different things around the house, and so we wanted to, with the drought, we wanted to make sure we had some other ways of possibly saving water and using that water from the rain when we do get rain," said area resident Pamela Dalisay.
"I think it's great that the city is doing this. I think it's really great that they have a lot of different efforts that they do to keep the community engaged and trying to do the most they can to help out the state and help ourselves move forward," said Austin Ivansmith, another resident.
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