Melrose DPW Announces City’s Participation in Rain Barrel Purchase Program
The Melrose Department of Public Works (DPW) has announced the City of Melrose will participate in the Great Rain Barrel Purchase Program, a program designed to help communities and their residents conserve water supplies, save money, and protect the environment.
Through the program, Melrose residents can purchase a rain barrel for their home now through Wednesday, May 24, at 12 a.m. To purchase a rain barrel before the May 24 deadline, community members can visit https://www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com/community/ and select Melrose as their town. All purchased barrels will be available for pick-up on Saturday, June 10, from 8 a.m. – 12 noon at the DPW City Yard, located at 72 Tremont Street. Barrel costs range from $80-89.
“We encourage homeowners to use rain barrels as they help the City manage its water resources by reducing runoff, and as a result lowers municipal water demands, saves energy at treatment plants, and improves residential stormwater management,” said Alison Beucler, Environmental Outreach & Coordinator for the Melrose DPW. “Rain barrels also help residents significantly reduce their water bills. Our local environment, the City, and residents win with this program.”
Residents who would like to order over the phone, or have customer service, product, or installation questions, must send their phone number and question to sales@tgarb.com and a representative from The Great American Rain Barrel Company will reach out to them.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), rain barrels can save the average homeowner 1,300 gallons of water, as 30% of daily water use takes place outdoors. Using the rain barrel’s stored water on the landscape saves water resources and reduces the amount of water purchased from municipal sources.
Rain barrels also help capture rainwater from the roof that would otherwise become runoff, which picks up pollutants and transports them to waterways. Impaired waterways can affect aquatic life and human health. Stored water from the barrels can also be used as an additional resource in times of drought and reduces the risk of erosion and flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. To learn more, visit https://www.epa.gov/
About the Great American Rain Barrel Company
The Great American Rain Barrel is a local food importing company that has been re-purposing shipping drums into Rain Barrels since 1988. The Great American Rain Barrel Co. has been an approved vendor by the MASS DEP since 2010. For more information on the Great American Rain Barrel Company and its program, visit https://www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com.