Rain Barrels Available

ATTENTION CITIZENS WHO RECEIVED A RAIN BARREL ... The City of Monticello is looking to post on Social Media photos of rain barrels in use this fall and next spring. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Review the latest news about the Rain Barrel program.

Free Rain Barrels for City Water & Wastewater Utility Customers!

In cooperation with Ball Corporation, the City Wastewater Utility Department wants to help relieve some of the utility costs associated with watering your lawn and gardens by providing customers with a Free Rain Barrel! 

If you would like a free rain barrel, please call 574-583-7847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Provide your:

• Full Name
• Phone Number
• Email address
• Home address
• Customer ID number (found on your water bill)

We can only provide the free rain barrel at this time. You can purchase drain spout diverter kits for your rain barrel (see diagram) locally. Information about rain barrels and instructions for installing diverter kit & hose spigots can be found on YouTube.

Instructions for Painting your Rain Barrel

Use outdoor acrylics to paint your rain barrel. You will need to prime and top coat your plastic barrel.

• Clean the exterior surface with a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water.
• Use a fine grade sandpaper to "rough up" the surface of the barrel. (This helps the paint adhere to the plastic barrel.)
• Vacuum the barrel's surface, then rinse barrel with clean water (static may try to hold the fine dust) and dry with a lint free cloth (or leave it in the sun to bake)
• Apply at least one coat of outdoor primer. Primer must be allowed to dry per manufacturer's instructions.
• Paint barrel and allow the paint to dry completely.
• Apply two coats of polyurethane. Allow the polyurethane to dry between coats.

Please Note: The rain barrels previously contained a non-toxic, biodegradable soap and have been triple rinsed to be prepared for non-potable use as rain barrels.

Rain Barrel System

In the photo above, Monticello Resident Mike Godlove, uses multiple barrels in a series.  Using gravity draining, the lower hose moves the water to a pump that he uses to force water through his garden hose.