Drought-Stricken California Residents Scramble For Rain Barrels To Save Tuesday's Storm
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California's emergency drought measures are turning into a boom for businesses that help homeowners save rainwater, including the rain from Tuesday's storm.
Even though storms have been few and far between, the rain barrel business is starting to flourish, because even a little rain can go a long way.
Davis Montijo watered his plants on Monday with rainwater he collected weeks ago.
"It's a big deal when it rains right now," he said.
He built his rain recycler system himself by installing piping along his house that collects rainwater off of his roof, and a pump helps direct it through his garden hose.
"It's an incredible amount of water we get from the rain," he said. "It's like 18,000 gallons off my roof alone this year, and we've only had 2 storms."
Montijo says it only takes half an inch of rain to fill an 1,100 gallon tank overnight.
Clyde Froehlich says the rain doesn't put a damper on his online business, Blue Barrel Systems, where he sells do-it-yourself rain barrel kits. He says sales have shot up since Gov. Jerry Brown ordered a mandatory 25 percent cut in usage.
"The phone has been ringing, the emails have been coming and the sales have been going," he said. "We are expecting rain [Tuesday] and I expect these barrels to fill again and have water here to water this irrigation zone for the next few months."
