City residents can order rain barrels through April 23

Date: 4/5/2010

April 5, 2010

SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is partnering with the Great American Rain Barrel Company in Hyde Park, Mass., for the second year to offer recycled rain barrels as part of a community-wide water conservation program.

"We are thrilled to be offering this simple and inexpensive device to the community to help reduce residential water usage and to help protect water resources," April Kelly of the Water and Sewer Commission said.

In New England, residential water usage can increase as much as 60 percent during the spring, summer and fall seasons from outdoor water use such as watering gardens, lawns, filling pools and washing cars. Rain barrels can offset that usage, save homeowners money and help the community manage water resources. Rain barrels help to reduce runoff by diverting water that would otherwise flow over lawns, sidewalks and roadways into the storm sewers. Storm water picks up pollutants from pesticides and fertilizers on lawns and oil and gas on the roadways and washes those pollutants into rivers and streams.

Suzanne Gebelein, owner of the Great American Rain Barrel Company, commented, "We have been selling barrels for 20 years and we are seeing a very positive trend. More and more communities nationwide, like Springfield, are bringing large scale programs to their towns, encouraging more residents to conserve water while also helping mitigate storm water pollution on a larger scale."

The commission is offering the Great American Rain Barrel in three colors (forest green, earth brown or Nantucket gray) at the low cost of $70 versus the retail price of $119. Orders are being accepted online at www.waterandsewer.org and any questions can be e-mailed to April Kelly at april.kelly@waterandsewer.org.

Orders are being accepted online from April 5 to 23. Barrels will be available for pick up on May 8 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission Field Office, 71 Colton St.

The Great American Rain Barrel Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of a Mediterranean specialty food importing business. The barrels are recycled 60-gallon shipping drums and distributed to homeowners nationwide. For more information and installation instructions please visit the Great American Rain Barrel Company at www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com