What if there was a way to be sustainable and help keep the beaches open more often? Would you take the simple steps necessary to do so? Well Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and the Mayor Frank G. Jackson Summer Youth Employment Program are teaming up to bring you a solution in the form of rain barrels.

A rain barrel is a system that collects and stores stormwater from your roof that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains and streams, which can be a huge problem in a city like Cleveland where stormwater can lead to untreated sewage water going into Lake Erie. Untreated sewage water in the lake means that there is bacteria in the water that our body isn’t equipped to handle, which is why after heavy rains beaches are closed to the public.

The Rain Barrel Team has worked hard this summer making and installing rain barrels at the homes of Cleveland residents. The rain barrels are installed on downspouts, which are pieces of the gutter that extend vertically down the sides of residents houses, through a diverter. The use of rain barrels also helps by holding excess water that could become runoff. This runoff negatively affects our clean water sources because it collects oil, litter and debris as it runs down our streets into the fresh water. Rain barrels also help to avoid increased water flow which can cause flooding and erosion – which is the washing away of streambank soil.

The Rain Barrel Team of the Mayor Frank G. Jackson Summer Youth Employment Program is made up of three  different teams: Assembly, Inventory and Delivery. The Delivery and Assembly team rotate so every youth on the teams get to experience the various tasks in getting the rain barrels to the public. The Assembly team works at the Division of Water and works on putting together the rain barrels. The Inventory team calls Cleveland residents from a predetermined list that showed interest in receiving a rain barrel through their Community Development Corporation. If a resident requests a rain barrel, the Delivery team packs the barrels up and then brings them to the people who want them. One youth, Quashawn Cromty a junior at Glenville High School, said “I like building rain barrels and I think that this program helps keep me out of trouble”. Another youth, Jonathan Smith believes that by building rain barrels “I am giving a helping hand to my city.” Jonathan thinks that the program is beneficial and he would like to see it continue. He also expressed his interests to let the Mayor know that this program is great and he wants it to keep going. We agree with Jonathan’s idea! 

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To make a rain barrel the Rain Barrel Team has to carefully cut a hole in the top of the rain barrel; this hole is connected to the home’s diverter so the water runs right into the barrel. They also cut a hole at the bottom of the barrel for the spigot to access the water. After the hole is cut they attach the spigot and other parts, then they insert them into the appropriate holes. It takes about five minutes to make one rain barrel and the team can make 20 or more barrels per day. While installing the rain barrels the team also delivers two cement blocks to elevate the barrel and an adjustable PVC pipe to connect the barrel to the diverter.

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It is important that the barrel is elevated so that it does not sink into the ground and the higher you put the barrel the easier it  is to access the water. Another major rain barrel maintenance  tip is to drain and store your barrel in the winter so that the spigot doesn’t freeze!

As the Rain Barrel Team builds the rain barrels they are learning about their positive impact on sustainability. Jonathan expressed that he didn’t know there are people who are trying to be sustainable but his experience with this program taught him that there were. With the water that is collected, residents can hydrate their gardens or lawns with the stormwater instead of using potable water. According to the EPA, approximately 50% of water used outside is wasted from inefficient water methods and systems. Using rainwater instead will lower residents’ water bills and provide irrigation during hot or dry spells. Others just have the barrels so that the water they collect isn’t discharging into the streets and contributing to combined sewer overflow or possible flooding.

Combined sewers are meant to collect rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater in the same intake tunnel. When rainwater exceeds the capacity of the tunnels it leads to combined sewer overflow which is the discharge of wastewater and stormwater from a combined sewer system directly into local rivers, streams, lake, or the ocean. Rain barrels are a major sustainable feature in Cleveland because even though the water isn’t suitable for drinking, it is helpful in other forms like providing water for washing your car or watering your roses. The rain barrel program is free and available to Cleveland residents, though there are a limited number of barrels. The best part is that it helps the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District in their goal of storm water  management. So make a call to your local Community Development Corporation and see about getting your very own rain barrel.