rain barrel calculator
Did you know that stormwater runoff from rooftops, streets and sidewalks is the greatest source of local water pollution? Did you know that our stormdrains empty directly into our local rivers and streams, and eventually into the Chesapeake Bay?
In addition to the litter, chemicals and other toxins that wash off our roofs, parking lots and roadways into our rivers, stormwater runoff also overwhelms D.C.'s old sewer system and causes the overflow of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac, Anacostia and Rock Creek waterways every year. It's no wonder the Potomac, Anacostia and Chesapeake are some of the most polluted waterways in the nation!
The most powerful and cost-effective ways to help stop this pollution are:
- Increase and protect the amount of green spaces in the region, like street trees, forests, parks, and gardens, so rain can soak into the ground like it's supposed to, and
- Install rain barrels, cisterns, greenroofs, or bioretention gardens around rooftops, streets, and parking lots to catch and use the storm water before it goes down the drain.
You can reduce your “stormwater footprint” at home by catching the rain from your rooftop before it goes down the stormdrain and into the river. In addition, you can use harvested rainwater to water your lawns, gardens or street trees while reducing summer household water usage by up to 40%.
The Rain Barrel Calculator below will help you determine the size of your "stormwater footprint," and how many rain barrels you will need to reduce your footprint by harvesting it from your rooftop.
