Free Rain Barrel Building Workshop

File Photo

BRICK – A free Build a Rain Barrel Workshop will be held in the Windward Beach Park Gazebo, 260 Princeton Ave. on Saturday, September 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In this free workshop, funded by a grant from the Barnegat Bay Partnership, participants will learn how to build their own rain barrel and how to set it up at home. All tools and materials needed for the workshop will be provided at no cost.

A rain barrel is used to collect rainwater from a roof, and is usually placed under a gutter’s downspout next to a home. They can hold around 50 gallons of water that can be used to landscape a garden. Collecting rainwater helps conserve water, prevents basement flooding and reduces pollution in rivers, lakes and streams in our communities.

Early registration is recommended, as class size for the workshop is extremely limited. Contact Shari Kondrup at skondrup@brickmua.com or 732-701-4282 to register or get more information. Barrels should be able to fit in the backseat of most vehicles, and stand 34 inches tall and 25 inches wide.

The program is being offered as a partnership between the Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority, Ocean County Parks and Recreation, B.E.A.R. (Boating Education and Rescue) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The project lines up with Brick Utilities’ efforts to carry out the Metedeconk River Watershed Protection and Restoration Plan, which aims to preserve the Metedeconk River as a vital water supply for the region, protect the Barnegat Bay inlet and improve water quality. Stormwater runoff has been identified as the main threat to the Metedeconk River, as it picks up pollutants from roads, parking lots, lawns and other areas in its path to local waterways.

The Metedeconk River is also the primary water source for Brick Utilities, which provides drinking water to more than 10,000 residents in Brick, Howell, Lakewood, Point Pleasant Borough and Point Pleasant Beach Borough.

To learn more about the Metedeconk River Watershed, visit metedeconkriver.org. To learn more about the Barnegat Bay Partnership, visit bbp.ocean.edu.