SWAMPSCOTT – The town distributed about 50 rain barrels to residents on Saturday as part of an ongoing effort to reduce water costs and consumption.
Residents who had ordered barrels were able to pick them up at the Department of Public Works building on Paradise Road.
“This is something that the Town of Swampscott has done for a couple of years now, and the Swampscott Conservancy is partnering with them,” said Sierra Munoz, vice-president of the Swampscott Conservancy and a member of the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee.
She said that the town works with the Great American Rain Barrel Company, which provides an opportunity for the residents to purchase a rain barrel to conserve rainwater “that falls near their homes and then use water for gardening or potted plants.”
“It reduces water costs and consumption, and also storm run-off and drainage,” said Munoz.
Munoz said 2022 is the second year the town and the Swampscott Conservancy have been promoting the program as a water conservation effort in the town. The first year of the program, residents ordered about 90 barrels.
The program started as a joint effort between the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee and Swampscott Conservancy, as one of the goals of the Open Space and Recreation Plan is to encourage water conservation, said Marzie Galazka, the town’s community development director.
Gerri Falco said that one of the reasons why this year the number of barrels ordered by the residents decreased is because the program started later.
The town rain barrel program flier says that a rain barrel decreases water bills by up to 40%, creates an alternate source of water during droughts, improves residential storm management, slow pollution from runoff, and lower municipal water demands.
“Over 100 households in town have a barrel now,” said Munoz.
Oksana Kotkina can be reached at [email protected].
