Today, March 22, is  World Water Day. This year’s focus is “Valuing Water,” sparking a conversation about the variety of meanings water holds in people’s lives.  Conserving and stewarding water begins at home with turning off taps, taking shorter showers, doing only full loads of laundry and using a rain barrel to water gardens and lawns.

Rain barrels are the perfect tool to help urban gardeners, money savers, water purists, and other eco-minded home dwellers reduce their water consumption and lower their water bills. Rain barrels collect and store natural rainwater for safe and easy use in gardens and backyards, avoiding the chlorine and fluoride often found in tap water. Rain barrel users can disconnect their downspouts from sewer systems, collect rainwater and redirect excess rainwater to permeable ground surfaces that filter and absorb the water. This natural process helps ensure a cleaner and more replenishable water supply for the entire  community. 

REAL’s popular rain barrel fundraiser is back, and online orders are being accepted starting today.  Pick up day will be Saturday, May 29 at the REAL Deal Store, 85 William St. W., Smiths Falls.  REAL and over 150 other fundraising groups will be helping  community members save water, save money, and grow great gardens while protecting our water and our planet.  Visit  https://rainbarrel.ca/realdeal to place an order.