Village to put rain water to good use
Sunday, August 17th, 2008“Plainfield touts rain barrels” is the headline from Janet Lundquist in the Aug. 6, 2008 edition of The Herald-News. The village of Plainfield, Illinois is developing an incentive plan for residents to conserve water by offering rain-barrels at a lower price in spring. The article has data provided by The Conservation Foundation, stating average homeowners pour up to 40 percent of their household water on lawns and gardens each summer. It also states that using rainwater, instead of water from the house will not only save money, but will also put fewer pesticides in natural rivers and streams and reduce the threat of erosion and floods. The article also mentions that while most the village trustees think issuing rain barrels to residents will encourage water conservation, others remain skeptical of the village subsidizing the program. The 55-gallon plastic rain barrels sell for $85 and the village is looking at offering them for $65. With or without the discounted price, the environmental value of a rain barrel remains its greatest incentive.
