Los Angeles

LA Fighting the Drought by Handing Out Free Rain Barrels

Keep Los Angeles Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, was spearheading the 1,000 barrel project.

Hundreds of rain barrels will be given away during the month of March as part of an initiative to conserve water in drought-stricken Los Angeles.

Keep Los Angeles Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, was spearheading the 1,000-barrel project.

More than 600 residents in LA who pre-registered for the barrels in 2014 were given the rain catching drums last year. A new batch will be handed out over the next few weeks.

Keep Los Angeles Beautiful secured the 55-gallon syrup barrels that were converted to harvest rain from soft drink giant Coca-Cola.

Residents wishing to take part in the program can register by attending a community event listed online.

The Department of Water and Power is offering a $100 rebate for anyone who purchases a rain barrel, limited to four drums.

Capturing water is literally music to the ears of Silver Lake resident Craig Collins - he's got chimes that are triggered by rainfall. The water he captures are kept in six large barrels.

"I looked at my water bill and I thought this is something that I can really make a difference in my own pocket book and the well-being of the whole city," Collins said. 

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