DATE: May 07, 2009

CONTACT: Marguerite Porter, 864-878-1394 ext. 111
marguer@clemson.edu

WRITER: Peter Hull, 843-554-7226 ext. 118
phull@clemson.edu

Back by popular demand: Build your own rain barrel (and take it home)

PICKENS — Due to overwhelming public interest, Carolina Clear will host a second rain-barrel workshop May 15 at the Clemson University extension office, 222 W. Main St., Pickens.

Homeowners and Master Gardeners will learn how to build their own rain barrels, then take them home. An earlier workshop was so popular that Carolina Clear decided to hold a second class.

The workshop is limited to 20 participants. It includes lunch and all rain-barrel materials, runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $45 per person. Commercial rain barrels typically cost about $100.

To register, contact Marguerite Porter at 864-878-1394 ext. 111 or marguer@clemson.edu. Payment, in cash or check made out to Clemson University, is required in advance.

Rain barrels utilize an age-old concept of reusing rainwater to irrigate gardens and lawns. Last year’s drought and excessive heat, particularly in the Upstate, underscored the importance of water conservation and use.

Half of a typical homeowners’ water usage is outside the home. Rain barrels not only conserve water, but save money.

The workshop is sponsored by Pickens County Stormwater and Carolina Clear, a stormwater education program of the Clemson University Restoration Institute.

On the Web

To learn more about stormwater pollution prevention, visit the Carolina Clear Web site at http://carolinaclear.clemson.edu/.

For Clemson extension, visit http://www.clemson.edu/extension/.