Residents stock up on water barrels

DOWNEY - More than 500 donated plastic barrels were distributed by the Downey Emergency Preparedness Committee on June 26 as part of an effort to store water in case of a catastrophe.The barrels, which varied in size from 15-55 gallons, were donated by the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Downey. They were distributed outside City Hall to residents who filled out interest cards at the Street Faire and Kids Day. The committee provided instruction labels for the barrels, while Home Depot donated siphon pumps. The Downey Rose Float Association and Titan Towing also donated their efforts. Accessories for the water barrels were also sold, with proceeds offsetting the costs of labels and other accessories. Experts recommend each person store 3-7 gallons of water for emergencies. A lack of fresh water is one of the biggest potential problems following a disaster. Similar barrel distributions are planned for the future. For information, e-mail ready@downeyca.org.

********** Published: July 8, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 12