Rain Barrel Workshops

This sum­mer we attended a rain bar­rel work­shop. The work­shop was a joint pre­sen­ta­tion by the Loudoun Soil & Water Conservation District and the Town of Leesburg.

We enjoyed mak­ing our own rain bar­rel by adapt­ing a fifty gal­lon drum to include a spigot, over­flow release, and insect screen. When we got home we needed to choose the best loca­tion and build a stand to put it on… this part proved to be the harder part.

We are slowly watch­ing our rain bar­rel fill up a lit­tle more each time in rains and look­ing for­ward to water­ing our gar­den with it some­day soon.  Rain bar­rel work­shops con­tinue to be offered through­out Loudoun County, and we will add them to our com­mu­nity cal­en­dar as we hear about them.

Here’s the con­tent of a pre­vi­ous announce­ment of the work­shops that was emailed to me:

Build a Rain Barrel & Conserve Water; Workshops Scheduled

Rain bar­rels have started to re-emerge as an eco­nom­i­cal and prac­ti­cal way for home­own­ers to con­serve water, reduce runoff, save money, and help pro­tect the Chesapeake Bay. The recent lack of rain has left many look­ing for ways to con­serve water. A rain bar­rel col­lects the water that runs off the roof and makes it avail­able for home­own­ers to water plants, fill the bird­bath, wash their car, the dog, and muddy feet. It can even be used in toi­let tanks when the well pump isn’t work­ing. This water is free and the water is col­lected before it runs off and picks up sed­i­ment and con­t­a­m­i­nants that pol­lute our streams and rivers and even­tu­ally the Chesapeake Bay.

The Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District in part­ner­ship with the Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County Parks, Recreation & Community Services will present 3 work­shops where home­own­ers can learn more about the ben­e­fits of rain bar­rels and make one to take home. The work­shops will be held…

Participants are reminded to dress appro­pri­ately as they will be con­struct­ing their bar­rel. There will be a $XX charge per bar­rel, and pre-registration is required.

Contact: Suzanne Brown, Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District, 703−777−2075

And here’s the info I have received regard­ing upcom­ing dates:

Rain bar­rel work­shops will be held on Wednesday 09÷24÷08 and Thursday 09÷25÷08 from
6:00 — 7:00 at Tuscarora Creek Park in Leesburg. These 2 work­shops are for Leesburg res­i­dents only.

Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District is get­ting a ship­ment of 70 more bar­rels in and will be hold­ing a rain bar­rel work­shop open to all county res­i­dents later this fall. Probably early
October in Lovettsville or Hillsboro. They also plan to hold a work­shop in Ashburn. The dates for these work­shops are being deter­mined this week. Contact Suzanna Brown (703−777−2075) for details.

Tagged as: rain barrel, water conservation