City of Kamloops looks to rain barrels to reduce water use

KAMLOOPS – If you’ve ever been interested in permaculture or xeriscaping gardening methods, the city is looking to promote the use of a tool important to these systems.

The City of Kamloops has put out a bid to vendors to sell rain barrels at a reduced rate, parks planning and sustainability supervisor Mike Doll says.

The bid was posted to B.C. Bid, a provincial government site, Dec.1, and will close Jan. 5.

“We don't want to become commercial retailers of rain barrels but rather we are trying to promote their use by bringing a vendor in to sell them to residents cheaper than what they typically retail for,” Doll says.

According to the request for proposal, a successful proponent or supplier will be solely responsible for the organization of a rain barrel program. The city will not guarantee a minimum number of participants in such a program.  

“It is another way we are trying to promote water reduction in the City of Kamloops,” Doll says.

The use of rain barrels for these purposes is highlighted as a goal of the city’s Food and Urban Agriculture Plan. It supports the use of barrels as a means of storm water management and food production.

The program envisions rain barrels distributed in a way similar to the city’s tree coupon program.

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