So where does all the water from a summer rainstorm go?
It rushes off rooftops onto yards and driveways; from there it picks up fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemical pollutants before flowing into a nearby storm drain. This stormwater runoff transports the pollutants back into our groundwater system. Florida’s surface waters such as lakes, streams, and rivers are sensitive to even the smallest amounts of pollution. Just think, from one inch of rainfall on a 1000 square foot roof, 625 gallons of water flow off onto the ground. What if you could capture some of that rainwater and reduce the amount of runoff and pollution that enters our local water bodies? You can with a Rain Barrel — a 55-gallon plastic food-grade drum — placed under a downspout. Learn how to assemble one or purchase a completed barrel by attending the Taylor County UF/IFAS Rain barrel Workshop on Saturday, July 30, 2022. 9:30AM – 11:00AM at 203 Forest Park Dr., Perry Extension office. Register online through Eventbrite.
by Lisa Strange
