Conserve Water With Rain Barrels

Photo credit Sun River Watershed Group Back by popular demand, the Sun River Watershed Group (SRWG) will host a Rain Barrel Workshop on May 10th, 2025 at the Fairfield American Legion Park in Fairfield. In case of incidental weather, the Community Hall across the street from the park has been reserved to host the event inside. Registration is nearly full – only 3 barrels remain as of May 1st! “This event provides a special opportunity for people in our community to have a positive impact on water conservation while collecting fresh water for their lawns and gardens – each of the 30 barrels resulting from this event can help conserve 1,300 gallons of water per year, “enthuses Tracy Wendt, SRWG Executive Director. “With the drought conditions and water restrictions in the area, Fairfield seemed like the obvious choice for our workshop this year.” Rain barrels not only store stormwater for beneficial reuse, which can help lower monthly water bills, but the reduction in runoff benefits overall storm sewer system loading and helps reduce contamination transport to local waterways. The Rain Barrel Workshop is family-friendly and will be hosted on the lawn of the American Legion Park in downtown Fairfield. The event will begin at 9:30 AM and rain barrel construction will finish by 11:30 AM, with the option for attendees to stay and decorate their barrels. For a $45 registration, participants will receive a rain barrel and hardware, farmers market tote, $10 food voucher from Copper Creek Coffee, and other surprises. The Sun River Watershed Group will provide painting supplies and stencils for decorating the barrels. Registration is required for this event and can be found at https://www.sunriverwatershed.org/rain-barrel-workshops. Participants should consult Home Owners Association (HOA) guidelines for rain barrels before participating, where applicable. The Sun River Watershed Group is a local non-profit with a mission to collaboratively protect and restore the resources of the Sun River Watershed and its communities. This cooperative project has been funded in part by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Bureau of Reclamation, Bell’s Brewery, and The Coca-Cola Company. For more information, contact Madison Colyer at madison@sunriverwatershed.org or Tracy Wendt at tracy@sunriverwatershed.org. Be sure to visit www.sunriverwatershed.org and Facebook for information on this and other events hosted by SRWG.