Meet our latest Community Champion—Stacie from the City of San Mateo! Searching for ways to reduce her carbon footprint and conserve water, Stacie recently installed two brand new rain barrels in her garden for a total capacity of 100 gallons of rainwater.
“I constantly think of ways I can reduce and reuse,” she said. When Stacie learned about the opportunity to get a discounted rain barrel, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to capture rainwater during the rainy season and save it for drier months to use in her garden.
“I have a large rose garden that I love and I have to keep it watered throughout summer,” Stacie told Flows To Bay. “I am very conscious about our drought problem and this was a great way to conserve our water.”
Using a rain barrel is just one of many water-wise actions Stacie incorporates into daily life. For instance, she keeps a bucket in her shower to capture water while it is warming up for later use in the garden and saves her fruit-washing water in the kitchen to water her plants.
Stacie’s rain barrel journey
Stacie signed up to get a discounted rain barrel when she learned about the Flows To Bay Rain Barrel Pilot Program.
Once the barrels were in hand, Stacie documented the installation process on her Instagram account (@famileehome). Then, through the simple process of filling out a form, uploading a receipt, and providing photos, Stacie applied for and received a rain barrel rebate that covered the full cost of her rain barrels. All San Mateo County residents are eligible for a minimum $50 rain barrel rebate depending on rain barrel capacity and which water district they are customers of.
Installing the rain barrel was also an easy process. “I used an oscillating tool to cut the downspout and bought a downspout extension for the water to flow into the barrel,” she explained. All that was left was to assemble the rain barrel and place it under the downspout. Her total out of pocket cost was $7.
Thank you, Stacie, for sharing your water-wise story with us!
Follow in Stacie’s footsteps with your own rain barrel
Feeling inspired by Stacie’s rain barrel journey? Check our phase two pilot program page and learn how you can purchase an $80 rain barrel or qualify for the countywide rebate. The pilot program is open now through January 16, 2022 (or until supplies last)!
“I would definitely recommend this to everyone!” said Stacie.
