With temperatures slowly dropping below freezing and the inevitability of snow coming to the Foothills that means rain barrels need to be taken care of before the big freeze.

The Town of Okotoks is encouraging residents to take care of their rain barrels this winter so they're in ship shape next spring.

Sustainability Coordinator Dawn Smith says having a enough water in the barrel might crack and destroy it if you don't winterize it.

"So what happens if you don't winterize your rain barrel and you have obviously a little bit of water in the bottom if you don't clear it out, when the cool weather comes your bottom of your barrel will blow out."

Smith says the simply way to winterize a rain barrel is by simply turning it upside down.

"You need to turn your barrel upside down to drain completely," she says. "Ideally if you can store and secure your barrel inside a shed or a garage for the winter the better."

Smith is hoping those participating in the town's water rebate program take care of what is a great tool for their yards and plants.

"They receive rain barrels and a lot of them have been destroyed and then people not knowing they have to do it and no matter what your barrel will crack, so you don't want to lose that investiment especially with a lot of people participating in the rebate program getting barrels we just want them to know that they need to be winterized."

For more rain barrel winterizing tips follow the town's link here.

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