WAKEFIELD — The Department of Public Works is gearing up for spring with its rain barrel and at-home compost machine sale.
Rain barrel sale
The annual rain barrel program is one of their most popular initiatives of the year. From now until May 11, residents can purchase a Great American Rain Barrel (GARB) for a discounted price of $69 plus tax; use discount code WAK25 to receive the discounted price. These barrels are produced in Massachusetts, are BPA free, and are 100 percent repurposed. According to GARB, it takes less than 1/8 inch of rain to fill a well-situated 60-gallon barrel.
Barrels can be ordered online and will be available for pick up on Thursday, May 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Wakefield Public Works Facility at 35 North Avenue. Deadline for purchase is May 11, 2025, at midnight. Learn more at www.wakefield.ma.us/rain-barrel.
GARB is a local food importing company that has been repurposing shipping drums into Rain Barrels since 1988. The Great American Rain Barrel Co. has been an approved vendor by the MASS DEP since 2010.
At-home compost device sale
Wakefield’s Public Works Department is also offering residents the opportunity to purchase a rodent-resistant at-home composting device from Earth Machine for $55. The Earth Machine has an 80-gallon capacity. It is BPA free, features a twist-locking lid, and harvest door for easy compost removal.
Composting is a process that turns organic materials like food, leaves, and yard waste into soil enrichment. Compost replenishes nutrients in the soil, helps it retain moisture, makes the soil easy to work, and helps plants resist disease and overcome adverse conditions without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Learn more at www.wakefield.ma.us/compost.
Purchases can be made at the Public Works office in Town Hall until May 11, 2025, or while supplies last. Residents can also mail their order form and a check to the Public Works office at 1 Lafayette Street, Wakefield, MA 01880.
Like the rain barrels, the compost units must be picked up on Thursday, May 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Wakefield Public Works Facility at 35 North Avenue.
Questions
Questions about either of these programs can be directed to the Public Works Department at 781-246-6301 x 4120.