From the Department of Public Works, March 29, 2016: The city is partnering with the New England Rain Barrel Co. to get residents a special price on rain barrels through May 12. A 60-gallon rainwater collection system will cost $79.

To provide the lowest cost, the company is arranging for a general delivery of barrels from 4 to 7 p.m. May 19 at the DPW yard, 147 Hampshire St., in the Wellington-Harrington neighborhood near Inman Square.

The barrels come with instructions for fast and easy installation, but local nonprofit Green Cambridge is offering to install them for free.

Residents are urged to conserve water by capturing rainwater and storing it in a barrel for later use in a garden. If rainwater is not captured and allowed to soak back into the ground, rivers and streams do not have the chance to sustain or “recharge” themselves. By capturing rainwater, residents reduce stormwater runoff, conserving water and recharging the groundwater.

For information and to order online, click here and go to the “Community Programs” link and select “Cambridge.” Or order by phone at (800) 251-2352, specifying the “City of Cambridge promotion.”