Here’s a great way to help the River from home – add a rain barrel to your house. Rain barrels help you conserve water, reduce the amount of water going directly to the sewer system and provide water for your garden.
Friends of the Chicago River board member Grant Crowley has a great offer for anyone who is looking to have a rain barrel at their home. Crowley’s Yacht Yard has approximately 25 55-gallon plastic barrels that can be adapted to make rain barrels.
The 55-gallon drums held a non-toxic antifreeze used to winterize boats at the yacht yard. Just rinse and reuse! Grant wants to offer them for FREE to anyone who would like to make a rain barrel. Here is how to make a rain barrel.
CONTACT Grant Crowley. Crowley’s Yacht Yard is located at 3434 E. 95th Street in Chicago. You will need to pick up the barrel yourself.
Looking for a few barrels to make some rain barrels, Thanks
Be sure to find rain barrels which offer a mesh mosquito guard, and also look for barrels which have an overflow valve function to allow the excess water to flow out of the rain barrel and away from your foundation. Hooking a drip hose to this valve is a great way to give your garden or flower bed a constant source of moisture.
thanks for your article
I am interested in your offer of 55 gallon drums for rain barrels. Are there still any available? I would like one and two would be even nicer if I can get more than one. You can call me at 773 410 1865
Leave a message if there is no answer please.
Thank You
Dennis
Hi Dennis,
Sorry, the drums are no longer available. If you are interested in purchasing a rain barrel or learning more about the Sustainable Backyards program, you can visit http://www.cityofchicago.org/rainbarrel.
Good luck!