29th May
Caring for our water system is about caring for the environment and helping ensure that the system is resilient. Increasingly our weather is going to comprise wet winters with period heavy rainfall, and hot dry summers.
Collecting rainwater in water butts helps in two ways. The obvious way is by providing a supply of water for the times when there is little rain – this can be used for watering the garden, or in times of real drought, can be used to flush toilet etc.
The second way is to relieve pressure on the water drainage system by delaying the sudden rush of water into the system. This does presume your butts re empty before the storm comes – so there maybe some necessary preparation work before hand. You can install a water butt which releases one half of its content slowly over time leaving spare capacity for more water – https://uk.getwatersmart.com/product/buttinabox-butt-in-a-box-200l-waterbutt-kit-354
Or you can get smart water butt! https://aquaiot.co.uk/smart-water-butts-rainwater-defence-against-flooding/)
Further reading – https://climateconnectionsplymouth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Slow-the-Flow-booklet-FINAL4.pdf
The Green Tau 