March 19, 2020:

Dear Community,

We find ourselves in a unique moment in history. My county has given “shelter in place” orders. Schools are closed through April 7th and we’re being told to expect longer. Store shelves are sparse with people stocking up for an extended stay at home. Perhaps you are experiencing something similar in your town, or are about to. 

We are being called home, to hunker down, to turn inward and care for ourselves and the ones closest to us.

As we work to cultivate calm amidst chaos, here is what comes up in BlueBarrel’s world:

Due to our online mail-order business model (and local-to-you barrel supplier network) I am pleased to announce we are still operating at full capacity, though I am humbled by the reality that health and supply chains are fragile and our situation may change at any time. 

While we are still able, perhaps we can offer a little help and a few suggestions as we navigate this situation together.

1. Plant your garden: I struggled with what to do, anticipating 3 weeks (and maybe more) of shelter in place. Buy more canned food? I did… and then I remembered to plant my garden. As I stocked up on canned veggies (because the frozen ones were sold out), I realized if I could just ground myself enough to do what I usually do this time of year, I could prep the soil and plant the food that will feed my family for months to come. We are now expecting a variety of fresh vegetables starting as early as next month (photo included below). 

2. Keep water on hand: It’s important to note stored rainwater is not potable without treatment. That said, stored water is essential during an emergency. Being prepared with a variety of water treatment methods can expand your options and offer peace of mind. I keep standard camping gear around for these “just in case” moments: carbon-filter backpacking pump; iodine tablets; bleach. We don’t expect our municipal water supply to be impacted, but it’s possible if crisis mounts. Ideally, we’ll continue drinking tap water, and use the rainwater—fresh and alive—to water the garden that feeds us.

What’s up with BlueBarrel? At the time of this writing, BlueBarrel is still fully operational, carrying used barrels made of food-grade plastic, and a full range of rainwater harvesting and gravity-fed drip irrigation gear. Our web and customer service teams work remotely (always); our fulfillment center is locally-owned and still shipping orders expeditiously; and our nationwide network of participating barrel suppliers is at the ready to supply you with high-quality used HDPE drums (barrel availability varies by region). Please note, our barrel suppliers all expect to honor social distancing at this time. Once you have your barrel voucher, you can make arrangements for pickup or delivery, sans handshake!

We have enough inventory on the shelf to get us through a “normal” season in business. Will this be a normal season? Will our supply chain be disrupted in the near future? Yet to be seen, but for the time being, we have what you need to get started with rainwater harvesting and gravity-fed irrigation.

On behalf of Team BlueBarrel, I wish you health and safety; solidarity in solitude; encouragement to get spring gardens planted; and peace accompanying an unexpected opportunity to ground, center, and be home. 

In other words: wishing you well,

Jesse Savou,
Founder/Owner
BlueBarrelSystems.com

Los Angeles is a hot region for rain barrels. With a balmy Mediterranean climate, LA residents enjoy often sunny skies. This makes the value of collecting water when it does rain exceptionally high. In fact, the LA Stormwater LID program requires residents to collect rainwater.

The Los Angeles metro area has a couple of programs that support rainwater harvesting. Many folks have heard of the LA Stormwater LID requirements, but did you know SoCal MWD offers rebates for rain barrels, to help offset the cost? 

We’re here to help you demystify the requirements of both programs. Read on to learn what you need to know. 

This southern California home has 9 rain barrels in the front, 2 in the back, and another 16 concealed in the narrow side yard. Less than 1″ of rain falling on a 2,500 square foot rooftop will fill all 27 barrels!

LA City Stormwater LID Program: 

Prone to drought, The City of Los Angeles now requires new buildings (and remodels) to implement stormwater mitigation strategies. This helps to hold water onsite, keeping it from washing away to the Pacific Ocean. 

Despite a generally dry climate, stormwater runoff in LA’s mostly-paved landscape rises to the top as one of the most pressing environmental issues in the area. LA Stormwater’s website reports:

“Even on the driest day in Southern California, tens of millions of gallons of contaminated water and debris flow through our local creeks, rivers and lakes and into Santa Monica and San Pedro Bays.  On a rainy day, the flow can increase to as much as 10 billion gallons.”

Los Angeles’ LID ordinance took effect in 2012. LID stands for Low Impact Development: a leading stormwater management strategy. LID practices mitigate runoff by helping to slow, spread, sink (and store!) water as close to its source as possible. This not only reduces stormwater impacts, but also recharges groundwater underfoot, and provides a sustainable source of high-quality irrigation water to boot. That’s right, LID practices help to mitigate stormwater, conserve water, and restore the environment all at once. Click here for more details about why rainwater harvesting is so darned good for the environment. 

Click image to enlarge.

Projects that are larger than one acre (or over 2500 square feet within environmentally sensitive areas); require special review by the City, and a plan for mitigation. 

Smaller projects, however, qualify under Appendix E: Small Scale Residential Prescriptive Measures, and homeowners can meet the requirement by installing as few as four rain barrels. 

In fact, we’ve had a number of LA residents satisfy their requirement (and qualify for SoCal WaterSmart’s rebate!) with a 4-Barrel BlueBarrel System. 

“I just finished building a 4-barrel BlueBarrel System. It was easy to do. I submitted my receipt from BlueBarrel, and SoCal Water Smart rebates covered all but the blocks and boards.” – Jeff, Murrieta, 2016

SoCal MWD’s SoCal WaterSmart Rebate Program: 

Another reason rain barrels are popular in southern California is that most residents qualify for rebate through the Metropolitan Water District’s SoCal WaterSmart Program. 

Here’s a word from our customer, Pieter, from Santa Monica, who installed a 2-Barrel BlueBarrel System in 2016:

“The installation went well and I just received a rebate from the City of Santa Monica through the SoCal Water Smart Program that covers the total cost of the system. Thanks once again.”

“Home-made” systems will not qualify for southern California’s rebate programs, but BlueBarrel provides a great DIY kit that meets all California state code requirements and has been approved by SoCal WaterSmart and the LA Stormwater LID program team. 

Ready to get Started?

BlueBarrel offers a one-of-a-kind solution for a multi-barrel rainwater catchment system, made from locally-sourced recycled barrels.  Our unique system design meets all necessary code standards and will qualify you for available rebates. Choose from five southern California barrel pickup locations.

Start at BlueBarrelSystems.com and use our sizing and siting tools to plan out your multi-barrel system. Then enter our Online Store and follow the prompts to find your nearest source of recycled barrels. We have participating barrel suppliers throughout southern California, including Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and San Diego. 

Our design meets California state code standards for a non-permitted rainwater catchment system. That’s right – no permits required. And remember, our professional multi-barrel system design will qualify eligible households for rebates, and meet LA Stormwater’s LID requirements!

Ready to Get Started?

benefits of houseplants

Click image to enlarge.

Sprucing up homes with potted plants and vases is a way to keep the space vibrant year-round, even when it’s too hot or cold to be out in the garden. And the benefits of houseplants are many. 

Rainwater is ideal for any plant, but potted plants and cut flowers benefit especially from this superior water source because they are so sensitive to accumulated salts, minerals, and chemicals found in other water sources. If you haven’t quite found your “green thumb” yet, try rainwater in your houseplants. It just might be all you need to keep plants happy and healthy.

Plant selection is also important. To help out, we’ve created a simple guide on the best plants for a happy and healthy home.

Houseplants can enhance your mood.

The benefits of plants for household use go far beyond décor. You can make your personal space even more meaningful by incorporating plants into your personal environment. Not only do plants bring natural beauty to the room but plants can make you feel both happier and healthier.

For centuries people have relied upon plants for their natural ability to heal. This includes healing both your physical and mental well-being. For instance, plants have been used in both ancient and modern medicines to cure ailments ranging from the common cold to more serious health concerns like digestive or sleeping problems.

When it comes to your psychological well-being, plants (especially beautiful and colorful flowers) have been known to instantly put a smile on people’s faces. Science has shown that admiring plants can help to promote relaxation, reduce stress hormones and put you in a much better mood. In short, your environment at home can do a lot for your mental wellbeing. Plants are one of nature’s best kept secrets when it comes to feelings of inner peace and calm.

What’s more is that plants can have a positive impact on the indoor air quality of your home. Plants help to purify the air by releasing more oxygen. Many indoor house plants also remove harmful toxins from the air including mold. Plants also increase the humidity levels of the home which can benefit not only breathing but also help to lessen the instances of colds as well as leave your skin looking and feeling healthier in appearance.

And the benefits of houseplants go on: Let’s not forget that many plants are edible. Use plants for cooking nutritious meals; edible greenery is a great way to include organic foods in your diet, and tea is a great healthy way to quench in summer and warm in winter. Indoor plants also produce natural oils, providing a natural way to further moisturize your skin. So, consider planting a garden indoors for the benefit of the entire family.

Plants come in many shapes, sizes and varieties, so choose the best fit for your lifestyle, physical and emotional needs. Plants will bring new life into your home and they will support your happiness and good health. Consider any of the plants in the diagram to reap the many healing benefits they entail, for a happier and healthier home today. 

Article submitted by guest blogger, Sarah Smith at Kremp Florist.

By Jesse Savou, ARCSA A.P., founder and owner of BlueBarrel Rainwater Catchment Systems

This article was written in response to the October 2017 wildfires that devastated California. 

The North Bay Wildfires of October, 2017 were the most devastating in California history, because of their impact on housing.

The devastating wildfires of 2017 brought themes of resilience to the forefront in northern California’s North Bay Region. As local communities rebuild, we reflect on the effects of fire storming over the landscape and wonder what we could do better.

Environmental issues compound. While fire grabbed our attention most recently, had we already forgotten the historic six-year drought that preceded it? As the owner of a rain barrel company (launched in 2012) I witnessed frenzy to harvest water growing every year as we entered our second through sixth consecutive years of drought. In 2016, we had one very wet year, and the urgency to become water stewards all but drained away. Then came the fires. 

While climate change ushers in more extreme swings in temperatures and precipitation rates, in an interrelated matrix, it also seems we are left more vulnerable to natural disasters.

Environmental stewards point out that California is a fire ecology: Healthy forest succession is defined by cycles of low-intensity fire and regrowth.

Humans and Nature (or Human Nature)

But human communities sprout up and understandably don’t want fire in the backyard. We suppress it. We create environments where large browsing mammals can’t coexist and their role in controlling low-burning fuel load is eliminated.

Meanwhile, as natural groundcover is replaced by hardscape mile by mile, (think buildings, roadways, parking lots, and even lawns), we’ve built a landscape that’s carefully designed to shed water away. This comes in direct opposition to Mother Nature’s preference, to welcome rainfall in to hydrate soils and recharge groundwater.

Without knowing any better, we have created an environment that is highly vulnerable to drought and fire… And we just witnessed the compounded effects of both.

But do we know better? I certainly think so. During each year of continued drought, more and more community members became engaged in water conservation, and beyond that, true watershed stewardship. Motivation was high to harvest the abundant water that falls on our roofs every year–a measure that helps even out the peaks and valleys between wet and dry spells, and allows our own landscapes to mimic nature’s pattern of infiltration–a vital link in the hydrologic cycle that is typically broken by our roofs, lawns, and driveways.

(If you raised your eyebrows at my use of the word abundant, keep reading…)

What’s Rainwater Harvesting Got to Do With It?

Which one of these landscapes allows water to infiltrate into the ground; which one interrupts the natural hydrologic cycle?

As a rainwater harvesting professional, I’ve been focused on the importance of collecting rain on-site to mitigate the impacts of all the hardscape in our landscape.  Simply put, if the living, breathing “skin” of our earth (soil) is all covered up, it can’t perform the vital ecosystem service of infiltrating water. That water instead sheets over roadways, through storm drains, and is delivered to local waterways in overwhelming quantities as polluted runoff. The ground underneath, on the other hand, remains parched. And like an overdrawn bank account, water levels in our reservoirs and aquifers keep dropping.

How Much Water Are We Really Talking About?

In short, the answer is a lot. Every single inch of rain that falls on a 1,000 square-foot roof translates to over 620 gallons of high-quality water, that if caught, can be stored and used later. Apply that to modern-day home of 2,500 square feet, and multiply by an average Santa Rosa winter with 32” of rain, to generate nearly 50,000 gallons of water per year. In a severe drought year (with only half of the average precipitation) we’re still just shy of 25,000 gallons from that same rooftop. Perhaps more water than you expected.

(Use our RAINWATER CALCULATOR to estimate the amount of water that’s available from your own roof)

Do you believe me now when I say that, when managed correctly, rainfall really is abundant?

If stored, used, and infiltrated on site, that water is a tremendous resource. It provides free irrigation water, and all of the ecosystem services that come with keeping plants and soils hydrated. It also helps to recharge the water table underfoot. The soil acts as a living, breathing sponge in a healthy garden. If sent away by the standard design of drain pipes and gutters, the same water contributes to our stormwater issue.

Is 25,000 gallons of water storage realistic? Probably not for most of us. But what if you could catch and store just some of that water? You succeed in two ways: (1) by giving yourself a free water-supply to use during dry months as an alternative to further depleting wells and reservoirs; (2) by taking a bite out of the stormwater problem, as–even during the most severe drought on record–stormwater impacts remain one of the biggest environmental issues of our time. These are two sides of the same coin.

To our readers all over the globe:

one of the most common misconceptions about rainwater harvesting is that it is only appropriate in certain climate zones. In fact, rainwater harvesting is a key technique both for conserving water, and for managing excessive stormwater; mitigating hardscape by helping the land to infiltrate water the way it would if your roof weren’t there… in any climate.

These barrels wet the roof of this Santa Rosa home as the wildfire encroached upon the urban area.

Fire and Rain

But bring fire into the discussion and we highlight even more angles. Keeping plants and soils hydrated makes landscapes more resistant to fire. And beyond resistance, there’s downright emergency preparedness. I got emails from customers who used their rainwater to wet down the roof and garden as the wildfire approached. In other types of emergencies, rainwater makes a great backup drinking water source, provided that you keep some emergency water treatment supplies handy.

I have a series of 19 rain barrels collecting from my own 700-square-foot roof. At 55 gallons each, that’s a total of 1,000 gallons of storage that I draw down and recharge a handful of times each year. I feel like I’m making a dent in the stormwater problem while also keeping my garden hydrated with the highest quality irrigation water available. 

Consider rainwater harvesting when you think of things you might do to cultivate resilience at your own home. (This extends into your community, too; nature knows no boundaries.) And don’t be surprised if you find some peace of mind, too, knowing you’re more prepared should another emergency occur.

More info available at BlueBarrelSystems.com.