Rain Barrels for Water Conservation and Stormwater Management

Rain Barrels for Water Conservation and Stormwater Management City of Chicago Department of Environment Natural Resources and Water Quality

Overview 1. Why conserve water and manage 2. 3. stormwater? Disconnecting your downspout Rain Barrel installation and maintenance

Our water resources are not infinite. The Chicago Region uses 2. 4 billion gallons of water a day. That is more water than 4500 Olympic swimming pools. Every faucet, sink, bathtub, shower, hose, sprinkler, dishwasher, washing machine and car wash in the city uses water from a single source: Lake Michigan.

Chicago’s Combined Sewer System (CSS) Diagram courtesy of City of Chicago Dept. of Sewers.

Stormwater Impacts • Flooded Basements • Untreated sewage in Chicago waterways Clean Water Network Adverse Impacts on Biodiversity: • Erosion and flooding • Impaired habitat for plants and animals

“Soft” Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) • Reduce amount of impervious surface areas • Utilize landscape and soils to support the natural flow of stormwater • Rain barrels, rain gardens, green roofs, permeable paving, bioswales, etc. Available online http: //www. cityofchicago. org/Environment

Disconnecting your Downspout: First determine if conditions are appropriate YES NO

APPROPRIATE? NO

APPROPRIATE? YES

APPROPRIATE? NO

Rain Gardens! Deep-rooted native plants to absorb water Shallow depression to collect water Turf strip for filtering and aesthetics

Disconnecting your Downspout – How To Overflow should drain away from home into plants or mulch

Rain Barrel: Container that collects and stores rainwater from your rooftop (via a disconnected downspout) for later use on your lawn or garden • Conserve water and preserve • • Lake Michigan Manage stormwater Help plants thrive by giving them chlorine-free rainwater

Preparing to install your rain barrel Conditions similar to disconnecting downspout One inch of rain on a 1000 sq. ft. roof = about 625 gallons If 4 downspouts, one downspout will take about 156 gallons in a one-inch rain. Even in a half-inch rain, it would overflow the barrel by 20 gallons. 11 out of the 45 rain events in a 12 -month period in 03 -04 were half an inch or more. Tools: – – Aluminum downspouts: Hacksaw, 6 screws and a screwdriver. PVC downspouts: Hacksaw, PVC cement. – – Hose to attach to spigot; Concrete blocks to place raised barrel on. Optional:

Installing your rain barrel 1. Place your barrel near the downspout you have selected, and plan out how you will direct the downspouts. 2. Disconnect your downspout from the sewer system by sawing the downspout above where the top of the rain barrel will be, leaving room for the elbow to be attached. 3. Attach a downspout elbow to the end of your downspout so that water from your downspout is directed into the rain barrel through the plastic screen vent on top.

Installing your rain barrel (cont. ) 4. Secure elbow to downspout (Aluminum with screws; PVC with PVC cement). 5. Place your rain barrel under the downspout elbow. Optional: Attach a hose to the spigot, and/or to any overflow hole.

Rain Barrel Use, Maintenance and Mosquito Prevention • DO NOT DRINK THE WATER • Use the water OFTEN for any outdoor use • Barrel will probably overflow; this is normal. • Check regularly for leaks and • • mosquitoes Winter: leave drain hole and spigot open, or store upside down or inside See handout for more…

Creative renovation

To Learn More… – Department of Environment website: www. cityofchicago. org/Environment – Conserve Chicago Together website: – www. cityofchicago. org/Conserve. Chicag o. Together – Call the Chicago Department of Environment Water line: (312) 743 WATER