Water conservation

We have been meaning to buy a Waterbutt for some time now to be kinder to the environment, simultaneously lowering our household water usage.  A growing number of home owners in the UK are on water meters that track usage and charge for the volume used instead of a flat-rate so water conservation is important to us.

We have finally got round to doing that and I installing one today to a down-pipe attached to the back of the house.   At some point we are going to attach another one to the pent-roof of the Potting Shed but that involves constructing guttering too so is for another day.

Rain-water is good for the garden because it tends to be soft and hasn't the chlorine, salts, pesticides and other chemicals added that makes tap-water safe to drink for us humans.  This means that the nutrients plants obtain from the soil are not constrained by chemicals added to the liquid.  It is also best for refilling ponds in hot weather when the levels drop as it is suggested that the chlorine in tap water promotes algae growth.  

Installing the water container was a quick 10 minute job costing about £25 including the drill attachments. 



Here the Waterbutt has been placed on its stand so that the tap is accessible to a watering can held beneath and is sitting next to the down-pipe that we are going to access.


A 25mm holesaw and arbor attachment for an electric drill have been screwed together and  attached to make a hole in the top of the container.  This is for the pipework between the down-pipe and the container, some waterbutts will come with pre-drilled holes. 





Two marks 10mm and 30mm below the top of the container have been made on the down-pipe, a ring of the down-pipe has been removed with a hand hacksaw and the rain diverter has been fitted in place of the removed section. 


The washer and pipe between  the rain diverter and the waterbutt have been screwed in and connected and we are good to go! 

 

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