Subsidized Rain Barrels Available For Ogden Residents

NEWS

By Amy Wicks

Ogden City is partnering with Utah Rivers Council again this year to bring the RainHarvest rain barrel program to Ogden City residents. What does that mean? Ogden residents can purchase a subsidized rain barrel for only $57, while supplies last.

Residents of unincorporated areas of Weber County are also eligible for a subsidized rain barrel. Utah residents outside these municipalities or those desiring additional rain barrels can purchase wholesale-priced rain barrels for just $85. Both prices are a big discount from the $154.99 retail price.

Rain barrels are one of many tools Utahns can use to reduce water use. The RainHarvest program has sold 13,583 barrels to date over the program’s 11-year history. This means every time it rains enough to fill a 50-gallon barrel, over 675,000 gallons of water can be saved.

Capturing rainwater also improves water quality by preventing urban runoff from flowing over streets and gutters, washing pollutants into streams, and eventually into the Great Salt Lake.

The environmentally friendly program uses the Ivy Rain barrel, made in the U.S., out of 100% recycled plastic. I’ve had my rain barrels from this program for ten years and they look and function like they did when they were new. I use mine for weekly watering of potted plants and deep watering of my trees and shrubs.

Rain barrels need to be ordered in advance. The distribution event will be Friday, May 9, from 4-6 p.m. at Weber State University. Interested? Visit: https://www.rainwatersolutions.com/products/rainharvest.

The Ivy Rain Barrel. Image provided

About the author: Amy Wicks works for Utah Rivers Council as their Northern Utah Programs Manager and is also the Great Salt Lake Waterkeeper. Her life work life revolves around trying to get water into the Great Salt Lake for a sustainable future and a range of efforts to promote water conservation.