DC Greenworks Rain Barrel

Rain barrels

OvERVIEW

During an average rainstorm (1 inch in 24 hours) more than 700 gallons of water run off the typical home (Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Build Your Own Rain Barrel) .That’s enough water for 17 baths or 58 showers. School roofs, which are usually much larger, often produce thousands of gallons of stormwater runoff (water that falls on rooftops and other impervious surfaces) during a rainstorm. This water then falls to the schoolyard, where a small amount is absorbed by trees, gardens and other permeable surfaces. The rest enters storm drains and eventually local streams and lakes, bringing with it pollutants and trash from the site. By adding a rain barrel to your schoolyard, you could capture some of this runoff and recycle it. Rain barrels not only prevent polluted water from entering local waterways, but also provide you with a consistent supply of water for your gardens, trees and indoor plants.

By coupling a rain barrel with a rain garden or through planting more trees on your site, you can improve your schoolyard’s stormwater management even further. All three are effective methods for capturing runoff, protecting the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and reusing a valuable resource.

Time

Constructing your own rain barrel will take a good amount of time to plan, design and construct. You will need to spend just as long, if not longer, investigating runoff on your schoolyard and choosing an appropriate location for your rain barrel. Once the rain barrel is installed, very little maintenance is required. You’ll need to empty the barrels between rainstorms and occasionally check to make sure water from the roof is being directed into the barrel.

land use

A good rule of thumb is to place your rain barrel where water would otherwise enter storm drains directly. You might need to investigate your schoolyard during a rainstorm to determine where a rain barrel is most needed.

Materials

Rain barrels can be purchased from local garden supply centers for anywhere from $40 to $140 or can be constructed for approximately $60. DC Greenworks offers 55-gallon recycled Pepsi drums built by youth from Shaw EcoVillage for $60. For a complete list of materials needed to build a rain barrel, you can download the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s “Build Your Own Rain Barrel” guide.

EDUCATIONAL THEMES

Conservation, recycling, water quality, mathematics

Additional resources

Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Build Your Own Rain Barrel

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay: Let it Rain Program

Maryland Environmental Design Program: Build a Simple Rain Barrel

DC Greenworks: Rain Barrels – Under-Exploited Cost Savings for Consumers and Businesses

DC Greenworks: Canopy Store – Purchase Rain Barrels made by local youth!

Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center: Roll Out the (Rain) Barrels in Your Neighborhood