Rain Barrels
Collecting rainwater is an easy way to conserve water — and save money on your water bill. During the drier season, when water consumption often doubles, using collected rainwater also reduces the strain on the water supply and keeps more water available for fish and wildlife.
Century-Old Solution
Rainwater is also naturally “soft” and free of minerals and chemicals, making it ideal for plants and lawns. Using a rain barrel to collect rainwater also helps reduce stormwater runoff that might otherwise run down storm drains and into our streams, rivers, lakes and bays.
Stormwater runoff can cause flooding and erosion, and carry pollutants into our waterways.
Rain Math
How much water runs off your roof? To do the calculation, use this formula: .623 gallons per sq ft per inch of rain x Roof sq ft x Inches rain per year.
So, if your roof is 1,000 sq ft and you live in Mount Vernon, which gets 32.7 inches per year, you could expect 20,372 gallons of water running off your roof per year! (.623 gals x 1,000 sq ft x 32.7 inches rain = 20,372 gallons)
During the dry months, May - September, when most people are thinking about gardening outside, you still could potentially collect 5,365 gallons of rain water off your roof.
Rain Barrel Workshops
Skagit PUD offers rain barrel workshops throughout the year. If you would like to be contacted about upcoming rain barrel workshops, please take our Online Rain Barrel Survey or call (360) 848-4477.
All of the information we cover in the rain barrel workshops is also available in our Rain Barrel Guide, which includes instructions and a parts list for building your own rain barrel.
Rain barrels and rain gardens work together.
A wonderful way to complement a rain barrel and increase your property’s ability to absorb runoff is through a rain garden.
Rain gardens can be a fun and easy way to learn about beautiful native plants and also help to improve water quality and reduce flooding.
Rain gardens typically absorb 30 percent more water than the same size area of lawn, they are drought resistant, and are less prone to destructive insects and diseases. Rain gardens create a preferred habitat for birds, butterflies and dragonflies. These specialty gardens are versatile — they can be any size or shape, but to maximize their benefit, they should be built in an existing low spot or near the drainage area of a rain barrel.
A great resource guide is the Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners. Print copies are available by contacting the Skagit Conservation District at (360) 428-4313.