Buffalo Rising Online

Aug 16th, 4:48am By Eli George

Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper (BNR) is an organization dedicated to trying to find ways to reduce and eliminate pollution in the area rivers. Now, they have joined forces with Urban Roots in an attempt to help bring rain barrels to the Buffalo population. This push to bring rain barrels into the area illuminates BNR’s attempt to bring attention to the issue. Their goal is to install 1,000 rain barrels annually to reduce storm water overflows.

The issue of sewer overflow remains a serious one, though it isn’t unique to Buffalo. Approximately 770 cities across the nation still have the problem and one way to help prevent and minimize the effect of rainwater is through the use of rain barrels. The City of Buffalo has underground pipes that carry storm water and sanitary wastewater from the streets and houses to the wastewater treatment plant.

When a storm rolls in and hits Buffalo with a significant amount of rain, the sewer system gets too much water in it, and it overflows. It doesn’t overflow onto the streets; it has an overflow pipe that goes directly into streams, creeks, and rivers which ultimately means it ends up in Lake Erie. Raw sewage from items flushed down the toilet, to bacteria and pathogens, to trash and toxic chemicals, all end up in the lake.

The use of rain barrels helps reduce the amount of ground water, thereby reducing the risk of sewage overflow. However, that isn’t the only benefit you get when you purchase one. Since it’s capturing rainwater, usually by being placed under a downspout from the roof of your home, the water it collects can be used to wash cars and windows as well as water plants and lawns. In this way, it helps conserve fresh water and reduce the demand on drinking water.

The barrels are a little over three feet high and two feet wide. They are twenty pounds when empty and hold 60 gallons of water. They come with installation instructions, and overflow fitting, a drain plug, a mosquito-prevention screen, and a threaded spigot to connect a hose. It’s even possible to connect multiple barrels together to collect even more rainwater.

You can buy your rain barrels right at Urban Roots at 428 Rhode Island St or by using the order form. If you’d like to learn more about rain barrels, you can visit the BNR’s website.

Keep your eye on Urban Roots for more exciting products and programs. Their next workshop is August 27th at 6 PM. It’s a class on native plants presented by Jajean Rose-Burney who will show which local plants are easiest to grow in gardens, which are beautiful, and which will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Call 362-8982 or e-mail workshops@urbanroots.org to sign up.

Note: Rain barrels do not come painted, but are able to be painted. Image courtesy of www.rogerwendell.com.