IBC Announces Rain Barrel Pilot Project

Residents of Wingham, Ontario will take part in a pilot project that is measuring how much the collective use of rain barrels can reduce stress on sewer systems and help keep basements dry during intense rain storms.

The pilot was developed by Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) because the industry has noticed an increase in insurance claims resulting from more severe weather patterns. Natural disaster claims today are 20 times higher than they were 30 years ago.

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“The pilot project uses old technology—the rain barrel—to deal with a twenty-first century problem. By collecting rain water we can hopefully provide some relief to our over-burdened sewer infrastructure which is dealing with ever-increasing amounts of rain water due to changing weather patterns,” said Mary Lou O’Reilly, IBC VP of public affairs and marketing.

Wingham met all the criteria for the pilot: a residential base of around 1,000 homes, a history of sewer backup overflows during intense rain storms and a local government committed to the project.

“This problem is not unique to Wingham,” said O’Reilly. “Municipalities across the country are dealing with this issue. By encouraging entire communities to collect rain water, we hope to reduce the number of flooded basements and the demand for treated water,” she added.

IBC provided 1,000 free rain barrels so all Wingham homeowners could participate. Support was generated through a public education campaign and information sessions for community groups. The Township assisted homeowners who needed help picking up and installing their rain barrels, and installed a Davis Weather Station to track the intensity of rainfall around the clock.

The weather station will allow the Township to compare the amount of water entering the sewer system historically with the amount entering after homeowners are using rain barrels. The Wingham Water and Waste Water Facility and IBC worked with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority and Environment Canada to establish measurement criteria for the pilot.

Don Nicholson, chief operator, water and wastewater facilities, Township of North Huron, said: “Years ago, sewer system design was based on weather patterns that predicted intense storms would occur every five years. But these intense storms are now occurring every two years. Rain barrels will capture stormwater and hold it until it can be safely processed, reducing the stress on the sewer system.

Nicholson added: “The rain barrel could be one of a number of innovative solutions that allow municipalities to use their existing infrastructure more efficiently until they can be updated.”

One rain barrel can collect about 45 gallons of water. If every home had a rain barrel, a city of 55,000 households could keep 2.5 million gallons of water out of the sewer system.