The Wingham Rain Barrel Pilot Project

Rain barrels can have a big impact on dealing with excess water, especially when a whole community comes together to use them.

In 2009, IBC equipped every household in the town of Wingham, Ontario, with a rain barrel to test the effectiveness of rain barrels in protecting communities from storm runoff.

The experiment, conducted over a two-year period in partnership with the Township of North Huron, showed that 1,000 households using rain barrels could divert 4.5 million litres of rainwater runoff away from a municipality’s sewer system. Had the barrels been used correctly – that is, emptied after each rain fall – they would have captured 25% of the rain falling on rooftops, preventing this water from entering the sewer system. This proves that the widespread use of rain barrels, when properly emptied, is an effective way for communities to cope with increased precipitation levels.

In the process of installing the barrels, an impressive 72% of Wingham’s downspouts were disconnected from the storm and sanitary sewer system, providing immediate relief.

Thanks to the residents of Wingham, IBC is promoting the use of rain barrels as a simple way for Canadians to adapt to severe weather.

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