Chicago Plumbing Blog Author: John Baethke & Son Plumbing

In the midst of the coldest season of the year, the risk of frozen pipes in Chicago bursting becomes much greater.

Lawsuits are now popping up across the country over the use of the word "flushable". Sewerage authorities claim that flushable wet wipes don't break apart, and, as a result, are destroying municipal sewer systems. The wipes cluster with congealed food fat to form large blockages.

3,000 B.C. Egyptian ruler Menes supports a thriving civilization spanning over 3,000 years by constructing basins, canals, and irrigation ditches to hold floodwater. 2,700 B.C. Water pipe is crafted from clay and chopped straw in the Indus River Valley of India 1,500 B.C.

In the city of Chicago, we very rarely have water usage restrictions, but other cities and states, especially those on the West Coast, have nearly constant restrictions, sometimes lasting months on end. This is where the rain barrel can be extremely useful, not to mention eco-friendly.