Joliet encourages use of rain barrels for water conservation

The city of Joliet is encouraging residents to make use of its rain barrel program to conserve water.

The city provides up to three rain barrels to households at a subsidized cost of $35 each, according to a news release from the city.

“One rain barrel can save approximately 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months, reducing the need for treated drinking water for outdoor tasks such as watering lawns, plants and gardens,” according to the release.

The city has provided 732 rain barrels to residents through the program.

Up to 150 subsidies are available each year on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the release.

Those interested can find more information on the city website at joliet.gov/rainbarrel.

The barrels are used to collect rain water to be used for tasks such as watering lawns and gardens.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that outdoor water use accounts for almost 30% of household water consumption, “with lawn and garden watering making up the bulk of that,” according to the release.