Seasonal & Holidays

Medford Offering Discounted Rain Barrels For Spring Season

Rain barrels' primary purpose is to conserve fresh water.

MEDFORD, MA — Residents can order discounted rain barrels through Sunday, May 3 as part of the city’s 2026 program with partner The Great American Rain Barrel, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced. The barrels cost $85 for unpainted models and $89 for painted or colored models.

Residents who place an order must pick up their rain barrels on Wednesday, May 13, between 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Medford High School on 489 Winthrop St. The city directed residents to place orders online and select Medford from the drop-down menu.

“Rain barrels offer a sustainable alternative that reduces water consumption and assists with the vibrancy and health of our environment,” Lungo-Koehn said. “By continuing this cost-friendly eco-conscious solution for our residents, we can better help mitigate flooding events in our streets, provide a sustainable water source for our plant life, and reduce our demand on public water systems.”

Find out what's happening in Medfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, outdoor tasks such as watering lawns and gardens typically make up about 40 percent of household water use during the summer months. It also says that a quarter-inch of rainfall on a typical resident roof will fill a rain barrel and water a 200-square-foot garden. The EPA says rain barrels can save the average homeowner 1,300 gallons of water.

The city said rain barrels can help conserve water and protect the environment by capturing rainwater from roofs that would otherwise become runoff. The barrels can potentially reduce runoff and non-point source pollution, provide an additional source of water during droughts, reduce erosion and flooding, and save drinking water resources and money.

Find out what's happening in Medfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The Great American Rain Barrel is a local food-import company that has been repurposing shipping drums into rain barrels since 1988. The company has been an approved vendor by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection since 2010.

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