Tag: water butts

Counting on … day 106

10th July 2025

Using waste water. Is rain water from the roof waste water or a valuable resource? Collected in a rainwater butt it is ideal for watering plants. Rainwater butts are also useful in terms of preventing flood because the flow of storm water is delayed before it enters the drainage system and therefore helps the system cope with peaks.

Mains water coming into our homes is drinking water quality. We don’t need that same quality of water with which to flush toilets. ‘Grey water’ – ie water that has been used to wash hands or shower,  launder clothes, etc – is perfectly adequate for flushing toilets. Grey water is waste water that can be reused. We have a small bowl under the taps in the wash basins to collect hand wash water and a jug to empty it into. This jug of grey water is used for flushing the toilet (unless a bigger flush is needed). We also collect water in a larger bowl from the shower when waiting for the hot water. 

A jug by the kitchen sink collects water from cleaning or boiling vegetables, rinsing plates etc and goes to water the garden.

Households are asked to keep a 2-3 day supply of drinking water on hand in case of emergencies. Not wanting to stock up on bottled water – which will in time have to be replaced – I keep two demijohn jars full of drinking water. I empty one (into the pond) and refill it each day so that that our emergency stock of water is constantly fresh without wasting the water.

Counting on … day 28

10th February 2025

Climate change is triggering more extreme weather conditions including heavy rain and flooding. Water butts are great in the summer to help tide us over dry spells when plants need watering, but they can also be useful in slowing the flow of water into the drains. 

It needs a bit of thinking but if we allow water butts to drain slowly after heavy rain into the drains, then they can be a temporary store for excess water next time it rains – a sort of mini water meadow or overflow reservoir. One precaution that is needed is that empty water butts are easily blown over in strong winds so you may want to put some bricks in the bottom of the water butt or tie the butt to something solid. 

For more info – https://www.preventionweb.net/news/if-more-houses-had-water-butts-it-could-help-drought-flooding-and-water-pollution

Or Local Authority web sites – eg https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/environmental-services/flooding/flooding-prevention-reporting-information/why-have-water-butt

Counting on … day 13

13th January 2024

Install water butts

Obviously water butts are great for collecting water that can be used to water the garden during spells of drier weather. But they can also help reduce flooding. Flooding can be avoided or reduced if we slow the rate at which rainwater reaches the streams and rivers which are likely to flood. If rainwater has first to fill an -ideally – empty – water butt before it discharges into the drains, that will reduce the rate at which the rain water reaches the steam/ river. 

How we landscape our gardens can also have an effect. Hard surfaces such as concrete driveways or paved patios, will quickly discharge rainwater into the drains and hence the river system. Soft surfaces such as grass, flower beds and, best of all, trees will slow the rate at which rain enters the drainage system. The plants leaves will slow and collect the water, whilst the soil and plant roots will absorb rainwater.

For more information see – https://theconversation.com/if-more-houses-had-water-butts-it-could-help-with-drought-flooding-and-water-pollution-191469

https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/articles/reduce-flood-risk