Rain Barrels On Sale Through Wakefield DPW

WAKEFIELD, MA — A popular annual rain barrel program through the town of Wakefield is back this week, the town announced Wednesday.

Now underway, rain barrels will remain on sale in town through March 26. Barrels, which collect rainwater for future use, will be on sale for $89 with pickup at the Department of Public Works facility on North Avenue.

The $89 cost is a discounted price, officials noted this week. The town’s program is also offering an extra $20 discount on the first 120 barrels sold using the Pomo code WAK23.

“Looking for a holiday gift for the green thumb in your family?” officials said. “Give a rain barrel!”

Great American Rain Barrel produces the barrels on sale in Wakefield. Barrels are made within Massachusetts, coming in green, earth brown, Nantucket gray and unpainted options.

Individuals interested in buying a rain barrel should order their barrel online. Barrels will then be available for pickup on April 6 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Public Works Facility.

The Great American Rain Barrel Company is based out of a food importing plant in Hyde Park, Mass. It traces its history back to the 1980s, when its founders began work to help convert 60-gallon drums used to transport olives into rain barrels.

The company details benefits of its modern rain barrels in an about page linked to Wakefield’s ongoing program, describing rain barrels as a part of town-wide water conservation efforts.

Collected rainwater, the company said, can both help sustain landscapes during droughts while controlling runoff in periods of heavy rain.

Though non-potable, the collected water can be used to water gardens and wash cars, among other uses.