Holly Springs, N.C. — The first 100 rain barrels ordered by Holly Springs sold out within hours Saturday morning, and the town has already placed an order for more.

The town sold the rain barrels at cost starting when Bass Lake Park opened at 8 a.m. By 10 a.m., all the barrels had been bought.

The town offered the rain barrels to encourage water conservation by residents during the ongoing drought.

"A mere quarter inch of rainfall provides enough runoff from the average roof to fill a typical rain barrel," Marks Andrews, a public-information officer for Holly Springs, said in a release.

"The barrels provide a way for residents to sustain landscaping in a time of exceptional drought and increasingly stringent watering restrictions."

On Friday, Raleigh – which provides water to Holly Springs and five other Wake County towns – enacted Stage 2 restrictions that ban all outdoor irrigation using city-provided water. Rainfall is 9.8 inches below normal for the past 12 months.

Holly Springs expects a second shipment of rain barrels on Friday, Feb. 22. The town ordered the barrels from RainBarrelUSA, based in Waxham.

The town will sell the barrels at cost – $75 for a 60-gallon barrel and $85 for an 80-gallon barrel. Delivery is available to Holly Springs residents for an extra $5 fee.

The City of Raleigh is also selling 80- and 60-gallon rain barrels at the City’s Solid Waste Services office, 400 W. Peace St., 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Click here for more information on Holly Springs rain barrels and how they fit into conservation efforts.