To Be Eligible For a Free Rain Barrel, Participants Must Live in Any of 12 Specified Delaware Watersheds
In conjunction with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s month-long celebration of Earth Day, DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship will host a rain barrel-building workshop on Saturday, April 9, at the Nanticoke River Marina, 26 Market Street, Blades, DE 19973.
Eligibility to participate in the workshop and receive a free rain barrel at the event is dependent on living in any of the following Delaware watersheds:
- Appoquinimink Watershed
- Broadkill Watershed
- Chester Watershed
- Choptank Watershed
- Chesapeake Bay Watershed/Basin (Anywhere within this basin)
- Christina Watershed
- Inland Bays Watershed
- Little Assawoman Bay Watershed
- Nanticoke Watershed
- Pocomoke Watershed
- St. Jones River Watershed
- Wicomico Watershed
For potential participants to identify the watershed they live in, and confirm their eligibility to receive a free rain barrel from DNREC, visit DelawareWatersheds.org and follow the instructions for “Find Your Watershed.” Eligible Delawareans can then proceed to register for the workshop. The first 20 eligible participants to register for and attend the workshop will receive a free 55-gallon rain barrel system to be built during the workshop.
During the workshop, DNREC will provide free kits that convert plastic drums donated by Painted Stave Distilling of Smyrna into rain barrels. Workshop participants will be given an overview of rain barrels including their benefits, proper use, assembly, and maintenance. Among the benefits are rain barrels’ ability to store rainwater from rooftops that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains and streams, thus helping improve the health of local waterways; and saving homeowners money on water use.
Staff from DNREC’s Nonpoint Source Program will lead the workshop. Participants may arrive at any time between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. for the workshop. The first 20 eligible participants to register for and attend the workshop will receive a free 55-gallon rain barrel system to be built during the workshop. Participants may bring family or friends to the workshop, but there is a limit of one rain barrel per eligible household.
Workshop participants can choose to construct their rain barrel with guidance or to be assisted by DNREC staff who will assemble the rain barrel for them. All supplies are provided, and the first 20 eligible Delawareans to register for and participate in the workshop will take home their free rain barrel.
About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov;
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