[Durham INC] Durham Hosts Rain Catcher Workshop Nov. 9

[Blalock, Amy]

[cid:image002.jpg at 01CBE556.A7538D50]


CITY OF DURHAM
Office of Public Affairs
101 City Hall Plaza
Durham, NC 27701


News Release


News Media Contact:
Amy Blalock
Sr. Public Affairs Specialist
(919) 560-4123 x 11253
(919) 475-7735 (cell)
Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov>
http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC
http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC


For Immediate Release: October 30, 2013


Rain Catcher Workshop Set for November 9
Attendees to Install Cisterns to Reduce Runoff and Conserve Water



DURHAM, N.C. - Residents interested in learning how to catch rainwater runoff to use in watering their garden should plan to attend a Saturday, November 9 workshop at a home in Durham's Walltown neighborhood from 9 a.m. to noon.



The free workshop, led by Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association and sponsored through the Rain Catcher project by the City of Durham Public Works Department Stormwater and GIS Services Division, is part of an effort to cluster "backyard" stormwater practices, like rain gardens and cisterns, in areas surrounding Ellerbe Creek. Workshop attendees will learn how to identify their yard's water demands; how to determine whether rainwater harvesting will work; and how to locate, size, and install a cistern.



A part of the City's strategy to clean up polluted streams and lakes is the Rain Catchers pilot project, which is funded by a Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant to install small, residential stormwater retrofits, or rain catchers. The project clusters over 250 rain catchers including rain gardens, cisterns, trees, and downspout disconnections. The rain catchers are currently under construction and will be completed in late 2013.

According to Public Works Department Water Quality Manager John Cox, this workshop extends the impact of Rain Catchers by helping more residents do their part for clean water. "Each small effort to soak in stormwater runoff at home helps clean up our local waterways," said Cox. "Using cistern water to wash a car or water a garden also helps save money on your water bill."


To register for the workshop, contact Katherine Meehan, community coordinator with Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, by emailing katherine at ellerbecreek.org<mailto:katherine at ellerbecreek.org> or calling (919) 698-9729.



To learn more about Rain Catchers, visit http://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/pwd/storm/Pages/RainCatchers.aspx, or contact Public Education Coordinator Laura Webb Smith with the City's Public Works Department Stormwater and GIS Services Division by emailing Laura.Smith at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Laura.Smith at DurhamNC.gov> or calling (919) 560-4326, ext. 30235.


About the Public Works Department Stormwater and GIS Services Division
The Stormwater and GIS Services Division with the City of Durham's Public Works Department is guided by the City's strategic plan goals of stewardship of the City's physical assets and promoting thriving, livable neighborhoods. Activities include storm drainage design and plans review; inspecting and maintaining City-owned drainage systems; enforcing stormwater ordinances and regulations; education and outreach; stream monitoring, restoration, and watershed master planning; maintaining multiple layers of the City's geographic information; and stormwater billing. To learn more, visit http://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/pwd/GIS/Pages/Home.aspx  and http://www.DurhamNC.gov/Stormwater and "like" on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DurhamNCStormwater.

###
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20131030/0212c3b1/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2630 bytes
Desc: image003.jpg
URL: <http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20131030/0212c3b1/attachment.jpg>