HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Spring's soggy start probably doesn't have you thinking about water conservation.
The sound of an early spring rain is a reminder that the deadline for the Monroe County Conservation District's annual rain barrel sale is coming up fast.
"It's a great way to conserve our water resources and to protect our water quality," said Annie Mikol, a watershed specialist at the Monroe County Conservation District.
Rain barrels work by capturing the water that runs off your roof and into your gutters.
It'll cost you $80 dollars for one rain barrel. That's the price you pay for the recycled materials that it's made out of and the engineered conveniences.
"Our barrels do come with an easy-to-open lid that has a screen protecting it from any sort of leaf litter debris from building up in your barrel and the convenience of having the spigot and overflow hoses," Mikol explained.
The collected rainwater can be used for any normal outdoor use like washing your car or watering your flower garden.
"You can use a garden hose. Attach it to your rain barrel."
A significant portion of our daily water use comes from doing outdoor activities. These 58-gallon rain barrels set you up to save big on your monthly water bill.
"30 percent of our water use is for outdoor uses. You can potentially save a significant amount depending upon how much rain you get in a year and how often you use it," Mikol said.
The deadline for ordering your rain barrel is Wednesday, April 11. you can pick it up at the Monroe County Conservation District's Earth Day event on April 21 at the Northampton Community College Monroe Campus.