SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City has already seen record rainfall for the month of October, with some areas of town experiencing extensive flooding and damage. With more rain on the way, there is growing concern about whether the additional water could do more damage.
But officials say there is a way to harness the power of the rain to your advantage and lower your water bills by utilizing a rain barrel program from the Utah Rivers Council.
So far in October, 4.16 inches of precipitation have fallen, when typically the state only sees 1.26 inches in the average October. The previous record has stood since 198,1 when the state saw 3.91 inches of precipitation in one month.
"With the flooding that we’ve seen over the past couple of days, there are ways to use barrels like this to mitigate some of the flooding and use the water for another purpose," explained Zach Frankle, the executive director of the Utah Rivers Council.
Frankle says that about 75% of the water used at homes and businesses is used outside. Things like cleaning your driveway or watering your grass can add up quickly. But officials say capturing rain in a barrel and using it can reduce the impact of those outdoor spouts.
"One of the ways to do that is to capture rainwater during these big rain events and then use that rain that's stored in a rain bucket days later," Frankle explained.
According to Frankle, the barrels that the Utah Rivers Council sells to Utahns can hold up to 50 gallons of water. The council sells the barrels at a discounted price of $85.
The barrels collect the water and have a hookup for a hose that can be used to distribute the collection. "To use these barrels to mitigate that is to put the water elsewhere days later and try and mitigate the flooding," said Frankle.
Another benefit, according to Frankle, is that the barrels will help the water quality of the region by collecting it instead of letting it run into the street and down into the drainage system.
