Rain Barrel Program
Looking for a Way to Conserve Water and Save Money on Your Water Bill?
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Looking for a way to reduce your water bill, divert the water coming out of your downspout, and have a free supply of "soft water" (containing no chlorine, lime or calcium) on hand? Consider a rain barrel! Rain barrels attach to downspouts on your house or garage and collect run-off rain water. This water can then be dispensed through a hose - attached to the bottom of the barrel - to water plants, wash the car or a bike, clean muddy shoes, or wipe down windows. |
Now, You Can Purchase Your Rain Barrel from the Village
Glenview residents can now purchase a 55-gallon capacity frost-proof, durable plastic resin rain barrel provided by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) directly from the Village.
The cost is $50 (the same price you would pay MWRD); a limited number of barrels will be available in 2010 -- and the Village will order additional barrels in 2011. Orders will be taken on a first-come, first-serve basis.
How Can You Get Your Rain Barrel?
Here's how it works:
- Contact the Village's Development Department. You can stop by Village Hall, 1225 Waukegan Road, M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m., or call (847) 904-4340. You'll receive a permit (or, over the phone, a permit number) and be sent or transferred to the Village's Administrative Services Department.
- You'll pay for your barrel (credit cards are accepted) and staff will contact Public Works to ensure someone is available to provide your rain barrel.
- If so, you may drive to Public Works, 1333 Shermer Road, and collect your barrel.
- If it's late in the day or Public Works is not available, you will be contacted on the next business day to arrange a convenient pick-up time.
Rain Barrels: Part of the Storm Water Management Solution
Along with rain gardens, proper grading of your property, maintenance of gutters and swales, and extension of downspouts away from your foundation, rain barrels can be a part of your own personal "storm water master plan" and can help prevent flooding - of your own property and your neighborhood.
You can find out more about flood prevention here on our website, but here's how rain barrels can help:
- They slow down the speed with which water seeps into the ground around your foundation (even if the barrel overflows).
- They decrease the need for you to run your hose.
Finding the Perfect Spot
Does your house or garage have the right spot for a rain barrel? Here's a checklist:
- Choose a downspout that's close to the plants and garden you water most.
- Make sure that any overflow won't soak into your neighbor's yard.
- It will also need to be on a "pervious" surface, that is, landscaped surface that allows seepage into the ground (this not only helps prevent flooding caused by pooling water, but cuts down on the mosquito population).
Find Out More About Rain Barrels
Looking for more information about rain barrels and how you can use them? Check out the links below: