ecoCaledon promotes water conservation through rain barrel program

Barrels can be purchased at Davis Feed & Farm Supply

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Caledon residents have a unique opportunity to conserve water thanks to efforts from a local non-profit.

For those who don't know, local non-profit ecoCaledon has been running a rain barrel program for nearly 30 years. The program was initially a collaboration with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and saw rain barrels sent out to local high schools. Students at the schools would decorate the barrels and they would then be auctioned off. 

While that no longer happens, the rain barrel program is still very much alive. Lucrezia Chiappetta, co-chair of ecoCaledon, explained the program is one of ecoCaledon's most popular initiatives.

“People are looking to find ways to conserve water that they can then use to water their gardens and their plants,” said Chiappetta. “We repurpose food-grade barrels (into rain barrels) so there's a recycling element to it, too… these barrels probably wouldn't have been used again but we've found a new purpose for them.”

Volunteers with ecoCaledon create the barrels, and residents can purchase them for $70 at Davis Feed & Farm Supply which carries the barrels on ecoCaledon's behalf. The $70 covers the cost of the barrel, with anything left over going towards a bursary for local high school students pursuing higher education.

Guidance counsellors and teachers recommend students who have displayed environmental leadership for the bursaries, Chiappetta added.

“It highlights their contribution to the community,” said Chiappetta.

While local high school students no longer paint the barrels, Chiappetta noted painting them can be a very fun activity for families to do together.

She painted her rain barrel with her kids.

Chiappetta said ecoCaledon wants to promote their rain barrel project this year and make it more well-known in the community. She said many people place their rain barrels right by their gardens for easy access. Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water and are used in places across Caledon such as at the Albion Hills Community Farm.