DAVENPORT, IOWA (October 18, 2019) — River Action sells 60-gallon rain barrels for $75. Along with the barrel, a galvanized-diverter to connect with a downspout, a spigot to connect to a garden-hose, and an overflow-spigot are included. Barrels can be bought and picked up at River Action. (We do not ship.) Our office is located at 822 East River Drive, Davenport, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30AM-5PM. If you are interested in ordering a rain-barrel or are interested in more information, please call (563) 322 2969 or visit www.riveraction.org/storefront.
Rain-Barrels reduce the amount of storm-water entering the storm sewers and also decrease a person’s water-consumption from municipal supplies. Collected rainwater can be used to irrigate lawns and gardens, water landscaping, and wash cars.
River Action has sold 4,600 rain barrels to the Quad City community as a part of the Retain the Rain program. In urban areas, water that does not soak into the ground flows into a community’s storm sewers. This then drains into lakes, streams, and rivers, carrying with it a variety of pollutants. Urbanization increases storm-water runoff in watersheds. This increase causes water-levels to rise faster and crest higher than before development. In some areas, storm-water runoff leads to erosion of streambanks, the damage of fish habitats, and the destruction of property. Storm-water runoff is difficult to control because it comes from every street, sidewalk, driveway, yard, and parking lot. Consequently, managing a community's storm-water runoff requires the participation of all residents. Only with all members of the community working together can storm water be managed and controlled.
Retain the Rain is an effort to raise awareness about storm-water runoff and its damaging effects, and provide residents with ways to reduce storm-water runoff from their property. Those property owners adjacent to wetlands, streams, lakes, and rivers play a key role in the effort to manage storm-water runoff.
