Save drinking water: Rain barrels on sale at the City of Vancouver

City is asking people to use rain barrel water on their gardens and conserve drinking water

Image | City of Vancouver Enviro World Rain Barrel

Caption: The rain barrels can be picked up for $51 each starting April 30 at various locations across Metro Vancouver. (City of Vancouver)

The City of Vancouver is selling rain barrels to help residents collect rain water.
With water restrictions starting two weeks early this year, the city is advising people to use the chlorine-free, slightly acidic water collected in the rain barrels on their gardens.
The city says using the barrels helps save treated drinking water, which is often in short supply in summer months.
The barrels will be on sale on April 30 at VanDusen Botanical Garden from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. PT.
Rain barrels will be available in May in various municipalities.
They come at a cost of $51 each.(external link)
"It is an easy-to-install system. You just hook it up to your house, it captures the rain during our rainy months and makes it available for irrigation of your garden during our hot dry summers," said Jennifer Bailey, water conservation program manager at the City of Vancouver.
Sale dates and locations
  • Vancouver: April 30, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.at VanDusen Botanical Garden
  • Coquitlam: May 1, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.at Mariner Service Centre
  • North and West Vancouver: May 7, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ambleside Park
  • Langley: May 8, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Willowbrook Shopping Centre

Image | Rain Barrel Benefits on display

Caption: Rain barrel on display at last weekend's pop-up city hall event at the VanDusen Botanical Garden plant sale. (City of Vancouver)

With files from the CBC's The Early Edition(external link) and Catherine Rolfsen.(external link)
To hear the full story listen to the audio labelled: Save water: buy a rain barrel from the City of Vancouver.(external link)