The neighborhoods within Syracuse have initiated more than one program on behalf of protecting the waterways from pollution. The ‘Save the Rain’ Program is a comprehensive plan to cleanup and restore Onondaga Lake. The program includes construction of traditional gray infrastructure projects and the development of an innovative green infrastructure plan to reduce the effects of storm water pollution to the Lake and its tributaries. A more finely tuned version of the original program is the development of the “Save the Rain-Project 50” campaign to construct 50 distinct green infrastructure projects over the course of the year. One of the program suggestions consists of installing a rain barrel, and now is an ideal time of year in many parts of New York.
The water collected in a rain barrel can be used for watering lawns and gardens, washing cars, and a multitude of needs for water outside the home. Your rain barrel will work best if it is slightly uphill of the area where you want to use the water. It is recommended that your barrel be elevated off the ground with cinder blocks to ensure good water pressure from the barrel. If you are home during a storm, it’s best to make sure that water is being diverted away from the house and that the barrel is not overflowing. If you notice your rain barrel is always overflowing it may be a sign that the rooftop being drained is yielding too much water for the barrel to handle. No roof is too small. An 800 square ft. roof can yield 500 gallons of water in a one inch rain storm. To clean your rain barrel, use vinegar or soap and water and spray it out with your hose. Reducing the amount of storm water going into the sewers will assist in minimizing the number of Combined Sewer Overflows.
Certified Installers take note: Perma-Liner Industries would like to invite you to our Refresher Training (Perma-Lateral™ specific) that will take place on July 12th and 13th at our Clearwater facility!! Please plan on attending. Register by calling 1-866-336-2568 or Click Here! See you then!
