Project Update by Susan Cole.

On Monday, February 7, 2022 members of the Rotary Club of Windsor gathered at the North Bay Met Academy to watch the installation of a “Blue Barrel Water Catchment System” by the students of North Bay Met.  The project was funded by our Windsor Rotary Community Foundation, and guided by friends from Daily Acts.

The North Bay Met Academy school garden is watered by long hoses from potable water.  In our current drought, and as a more sustainable practice, the students installed a demonstration rainwater collection system to water their garden.  Using rainwater slows down storm water, saves potable water, and offers others in the community an opportunity to see what we can do to preserve our water resources.

The project consists of an 8 barrel rainwater collection and storage system.  It will collect rainwater from the roof of one of the Windsor Oaks Academy portable classrooms and store it for use in the dry season for the school garden.  Here’s what the project can accomplish:

  1. Provide irrigation water for the school garden (which had lovely lettuce plants growing and flourishing on Monday during our visit)
  2. Present an example of sustainable water use for the Windsor community
  3. Demonstrate sustainable design principles in a changing climate
  4. Promote healthy lifestyles and environmental design principles at school
  5. Offer a hands-on learning opportunity for students to connect to the real world
  6. Create math and science lesson opportunities

Our Club members watched as the students handled the 8 barrels, drilled the holes for connecting them together, and planned how to connect the PVC piping that completes the system.