Saving rainwater and money in a barrel

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The recent rains have given the water conservation conscious in the valley a big boost.

Kim Holland of Fresno collects rainwater in a barrel so the sound of rain was music to her ears. Last March she bought a decorative barrel to collect rainwater. Holland explained, "It's just set up against my house right by the downspout from the rain gutter. When it rains you just let it fill up on its own. No work for me."

Kim has watched the 50 gallon barrel fill up quickly during recent winter storms.

When she needs to water the front yard she just turns the spigot and gravity transfers the water through a hose so the big trees can get irrigated. Holland said, "It saved us a lot of money. Redwood trees by themselves, our large 40 foot one, takes over 180 gallons a week each and I have two." Kim paid $65 for the barrel.

Fresno's Water Conservation Supervisor Nora Laikam said Holland received a $50 rebate for the purchase.

Laikam said, "We call that rainwater harvesting because really you're harvesting water off of your roof. It's really worth it this time of year with the rainfall that we're having now. A little less so when we're having the dry years." Kim has cut her water bill in half. "Before the rebates our bill was about $200 a month in the summer time especially and after we

did the rebates and all the conversions with our lawn and the pool cover our bill went down to about $80 or less."

When the rains end Holland will hook her rain barrel up to her washer so she can collect greywater to irrigate her plants.