The Sustainable Living Project » Water conservation

Blog Action Day

goo — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:26:17 +0000

Sometimes you feel like your on a bit of a sticky wicket when you try tell people about the importance of water conservation in this country, especially after another damp squib of a summer! But it does matter and it matters alot.

It is not a straightforward case of we use water, but no worries more will fall from the sky. Every day 2 million tons of human waste are disposed of in water sources. This not only negatively impacts the environment but also harms the health of surrounding communities. Water in your home does not fall from the sky, it is brought to you by utilities companies and their services are not without a carbon footprint.

We need also to take into account the water we import, the water that is embedded in products that are more often than not produced in the developing world. Your T-Shirt for example will have used up 1,514 litres of water in its production, your jeans a further 6,813 litres of water. And that’s just a few clothes, embedded imported water is also present in imported foods and all your fancy technological gizmos. You are using water from countries that rarely have the luxury of complaining about rain stopping play.

I’d like to offer some even more pressing reasons to think about your water consumption and to sign the petition below:

1. Over 1 billion people worldwide lack access to clean water.

2. Women and children in Africa spend a combined total of 40billion hours each year fetching water (of dubious quality.)

3. 38 000 children under the age of 5 die every week as a result of unsafe drinking water and insanitary living conditions.

4. A UN report predicts that water scarcity will be a leading factor in 21st century conflicts.

Rainwater Tank

goo — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:41:05 +0000

Well just for once we were ready with the rainwater tanks. Driest first six months since 1929? Pah! Despite living in one of the wettest climates in Britain we have never taken water for granted. Perhaps because we have to source, pump and filter water ourselves we are more aware of what is involved in getting clean water to the tap. And pumping water for us means using electricity, so by harvesting our own rainwater we are conserving more than just one precious resource. Of course I happily splosh canal water over flowers, but I don’t fancy it on my veg, especially those with a high water content. Harvesting rainwater in tanks is the obvious and practical solution. This year we’ve used three 1000ltr capacity IBCs (Industrial Bulk Containers) to use as our rainwater tanks. They previously contained molasses and needed a good rinse out with the meltwater from the snow in January and then they were ready. But they are massive cubes of white plastic and are (ahem) butt ugly. The capacity is right though, I’ve discovered just how quickly you can use up 1000 litres when you’re trying to establish your seedlings during a dry spring. We still wedge smaller water butts in wherever we can throughout the garden, we think it all counts, but if you are serious about harvesting your rainwater then at least one larger rainwater tank is probably in order.

Here are some of the best rainwater tanks from Even Greener. Rainwater diverter kits are included in the price, as are taps for the two larger tanks. Delivery is free.

This is the largest tank in the Even Greener range and offers unbeatable value. The large capacity is achieved with a depth of only 800mm, the unique design is both distinctive and practical and includes twin secure lids. A tap and free rain diverter are included. Moulded in tough polyethylene this product will give years of service. The full dimensions are: l 1650mm w 800mm (24″) h 1550mm (64″). Click here for more.

This evengreener favourite is simple to install and maintain. The tap outlet means you can fill your watering can or attach your hosepipe directly to the fitting for access to a massive 700 litres of rainwater. The moulded through window and inset ribs keep this tank strong and robust and the similarly moulded handles allow easy lifting when empty. Rain diverter kit included. 5 year guarantee. Product Dimensions: w 1500mm (59″) d 650mm (26″) h 978mm (39″) Tap outlet position: 340mm (13″) from the ground. To find out more about each of these products click the images or visit Even Greener here to check out their full range of rainwater storage tanks and butts.

We particularly liked this columnar model from Nigel’s Eco Store. It comes in several colours including green and stone. Despite its slim-line appearance this space saving rainwater tank holds 1000ltrs of rainwater. We thought it was a good choice for a smaller garden with limited space.

Click image to visit store

But if you are really serious about rainwater harvesting then the Herkules rainwater tank is for you. It holds a staggering 1600 ltrs of water and can be installed either above or below ground. It’s a good choice if you are thinking of a rainwater harvesting system for domestic household use. Again this is available from Nigel’s Eco Store.

Click image to visit the store!

‘They’ are giving out rain this year

goo — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:11:19 +0000

It is a peculiar feature of the local dialect around here that we are ‘given’ our weather. For example, you might overhear a parent at the school gates say something like, ‘they’re giving out rain later,’ or, ‘they’ve give sun for the weekend.’ But mostly we are given rain. Our nearest village still stages an annual well-dressing ceremony. In terms of ensuring a plentiful supply of water, the event is always a success. This is the wettest place I have ever lived in and once upon a time I lived in Manchester. After the last two summers I have been fighting back the urge to write a letter of complaint, I can’t help feeling the excessive rain fall is the result of a bureaucratic mix-up. But who do I write to? I don’t know who ‘they’ are.

Despite being surrounded by water and the certain knowledge that once our brambly slope emerges as a garden we won’t be needing a water feature, we do still have a water butt. Our water supply is anything but reliable: it may silt up at the source and make a mess of every pipe and receptacle that it reaches, the pump might start drawing air so that the taps have violent coughing and spluttering fits or sometimes the pump (for its own arcane reasons) just decides to stop working altogether. And when it gets cold the whole system just freezes up. This is the time to start filling the toilet cisterns with canal water, to cook with bottled water and to wash your hair in water from the butt. If you can get past the inconvenience of it all, this does leave your hair feeling wonderfully soft.

Given the unreliability of our current water source and the reliability of the current wet weather we would like to look into a more complex water harvesting system. This would require yet another pump however, and I have no faith it is going to be any less temperamental than the current one. It would also represent another drain on our precious electricity. We have even considered our own bore hole. Whatever we do, it would no doubt, involve considerable expense. In the meantime we will probably just fill a huge tank and then wonder what to do with it once it’s turned stagnant.

Click on image for more info.

Whether you think we need to save water or not, I do think sustainable living requires a frame of mind that never takes any resource for granted. In any case, we can all be prepared for the day when ‘they’ give out some prolonged sunshine and not be caught out if as a result of a bureaucratic mix-up you find your water being metred. Here’s the tips:

fit a water displacement device into your toilet cistern or if you can bear it, live by the ‘if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down’ mantra!
if replacing old toilets make sure the new one is flush efficient.
shower not bath.
fix dripping taps and lag outside pipes to prevent bursts and leaks.
taps off when brushing teeth, this saves 5 litres of water per minute.
use a watering can instead of a hose.
let lawns grow longer in summer, it retains moisture, don’t worry if it looks brown, grass will regrow as soon as favourable conditions return, (this applies to many plants.)
don’t be tempted to use a sprinkler.
water plants early in the morning or late at night to prevent loss through evaporation.
exercise a little benign neglect, don’t water too often, shrubs and established plants will put down deeper roots and be stronger plants if you leave them to fend for themselves.
use ‘grey’ water (e.g washing up water) for non-edible plants.
get a water butt now – you never know when you will need it to wash your hair!

See also Rainwater Tank for larger tanks for those who are serious about rainwater harvesting.