Brecksville's Handy Homeowner: How to Make Your Own Rain Barrel

This April, the Brecksville Beautification Committee, along with the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, hosted an event that I would have loved to attend, but I missed it. It was a rain barrel workshop at the .

I'm always looking for ways to conserve resources, save money and help the environment, and rain barrels help with all three.

I looked to the website for The Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District to find out more. The site says that a rain barrel is a container used to collect and store rainwater from your downspout, which can then be used to water your lawn or garden. The site gives the following reasons for using a rain barrel:

• The main reason is to conserve water. According to the conservation district, about 60 percent of our municipal water supply is used for watering lawns. 
• Using a rain barrel also means less water in our storm drains, sewer systems and local waterways.  
• Lawn fertilizers and pesticides are a source of water pollution. By collecting rainwater, you can prevent runoff from taking pollutants from chemically treated lawns into local waterways.
• Garden plants and beneficial soil microbes thrive with rainwater because it is free of chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals. 

There are also instructions on the district's website for making your own rain barrel, using a 55-gallon barrel, a drill and a pipe tap. 

 You can also attend one of the upcoming rain barrel workshops, where everything you need to make your barrel is provided. The cost is $60; make sure to reserve your spot a week in advance. The next workshop is being held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on July 7th at North Royalton City Hall. Call 216-524-6580, extension 14, to make a reservation.