My Climate Change Garden » Water

Save the rain

Debbie — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:51:52 +0000

The UK is set for some heavy downpours over the next few days which is good news for gardeners – my water butt is almost empty and the ground is very hard.

The Environment Agency have been very concerned about the water supply situation and issued this update just a few weeks ago.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/31_Drought_management_briefing_12_Jan_12.pdf

Its easy to fit a water butt and they can make a real difference in times of drought. Check out these websites for advice and stockists.

http://www.savewater.co.uk/

http://waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/

http://www.dobbies.co.uk/acatalog/Water-Butts.html

http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/water-butts-14/750-litre-wall-tank-water-butt-71.html

http://www.crocus.co.uk/products/_/tools/water-butts/prcid.97/

Thames Water tackles drought threat

Debbie — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:48:33 +0000

Lack of rain in Southern England continues to be a problem and Thames Water today launched a campaign to try to prevent a serious drought this year.It aims to make residents near the River Lee north of London and the River Darent to the south use water wisely.

The company said last year’s “exceptionally dry weather” means the threat of a drought this summer “remains real”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16499471

Photo of the River Lee in Essex showing low water levels this winter

UK faces water rationing in 2012

Debbie — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:45:30 +0000

Firms providing water to around half the population said that some of the driest weather on record over the last year has left stocks seriously depleted.With temperatures still unseasonably mild, families are being urged to save water over the coming months as Britain faces the first winter drought in nearly a decade.

Thames Water and South East Water have issued appeals, just days after Anglian Water applied for a drought permit to take emergency supplies out of rivers.South East Water said it could be forced to follow suit in asking for permission to pump water from rivers to top up its reservoirs, or even impose water restrictions next spring.The company said its two reservoirs in Sussex were only a third full, while groundwater sources were well below average for the time of year

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/household-bills/8897835/Millions-of-households-face-water-rationing-and-hosepipe-bans.html

With rain heading this way over next few days its a good time to get your water butts cleaned and ready to collect as much of this precious liquid gold for garden use as possible. If you dont have a water butt in place its time to prepare for higher water charges in 2012 by investing in one this winter:

http://waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/

http://www.waterbutts.com/

Bonfire night brings precious white rain

Debbie — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:55:20 +0000

Looks like wellies and waterproofs for bonfire night celebrations this weekend with the Met Office predicting heavy downpours. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/se/london_forecast_weather.html

With all the fun of the fireworks it is easy to forget that rain could be one of our most precious commodities in the future.Population growth, climate change, drought conditions and the restriction of sufficiently large fresh waterways close to metropolitan areas are driving the necessity to find alternative solutions.

Water availability per person is decreasing (Figure 1), while water withdrawal per person is increasing (Figure 2). In its simplicity, demand is up, supply is down as this chart shows:

Figure 1: Water Availability Per Capita*	Figure 2: Water Withdrawals*

Rainwater harvesting is one way to renew our incessant demand for a regular water supply – this was originally prefected by the Romans and it is time to rediscover and re-invest in this simple system as the environmental effects of climate change bring heavy rainfall to many parts of the world .http://www.savetherain.info/media-centre/rainwater-harvesting-faqs.aspx

If you are considering a rainwater harvesting system for your UK office or home check out these information days that are being held this Autumn:http://www.rainwaterharvesting.co.uk/training-days.php

Water is a free and valuable commodity that we should use more effectively.

Maybe the UK government should demonstrate their commitment to the environment by introducing council tax incentives that encourage homeowners to use rainwater systems instead of handing big profits to the Water Authorities?

Let me know your thoughts on this soggy issue by posting a comment here or email hello@globalgardening.org

7 billion world population v water usage

Debbie — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:25:53 +0000

The UN is set to announce that the population of the planet has now reached seven billion people. But will this number continue to rise in future years – and if so, what could this mean http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15445092

Water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population increase in the last century, said Kirsty Jenkinson of the World Resources Institute, a Washington think tank. http://www.bworldonline.com/weekender/content.php?id=40625

It is expected to rise by 50% between 2007 and 2025 in developing countries and 18% in developed ones.

Water butt season

Debbie — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:50:46 +0000

The government is pushing ahead with plans to make every home have a water metre.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/water-meters-could-be-made-compulsory-in-all-british-homes-2198448.html

The quickest way to keep your water bills down is to fit a water butt and store the huge amounts of rain that usually falls on UK gardens during the winter .

The best way to maximise rainwater collection into a water butt is to fit the butt to a down pipe on your house so that you collect the water before it goes into the drain. Or, put it next to your veg patch for ease of use and collect rain direct from the skies.

You can buy a water butt from most garden centres or DIY stores or collect rainwater in any watertight receptacle .

Here are ten key things to consider:

1.A water butt can be plastic or wooden but try to buy one made from recycled materials

2.To make the most of your butt, connect it to the downpipe from your guttering

3.Many water butts come with a simple connection kit and it is really easy to do

4 Some have a tap at the bottom of the barrel which makes it easy to fill a watering can or fix a hose.

5.If your barrel doesn’t have a tap, you’ll have to scoop water out from the top

6.A lid or fine mesh will stop leaves and small animals from falling in

7.You don’t want to feed your garden guests in one place and drown them in another

8.Sometimes algae grows in the water, but avoid using chemicals to get rid of it as they won’t be good for wildlife.

9.You can scoop it out by hand, or even empty the whole lot every now and then and give it a good scrub.

10.If you don’t put a lid on your butt, remove leaves and twigs regularly and put in a plank so that animals can climb out.

Next time there’s a hosepipe ban and not a cloud in the sky, your garden will thank you for a good soaking of natural rainwater plus your water bills will be less!

House sales affected by rainwater?

Debbie — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 07:41:48 +0000

If you want to make your house more attractive to buyers in the current market then try this idea:

INSTALL A RAIN-WATER HARVESTING SYSTEM

According to a UK survey, sponsored by Save the Rain a significant proportion of homeowners (1 in 3) would be more likely to buy a house if a rainwater harvesting system was already installed. With the increasing amount of rainfall falling from the skies over the UK this is a serious option that many sellers might like to consider to beat the current storms in the housing market.

A rainwater harvesting system will also save you money in the future as many of the water companies are threatening to put up their water rates by up to 60% over the next five years.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1043365/Householders-hit-1-000-water-prices-set-soar-60.html

A major reason for installing a rainwater system is that it will help the environment by saving billions of water and prevent flooding which is now a serious threat to many homes in the UK. Not to mention the benefits of having harvested rainwater for your plants on tap when the next drought arrives – seems hard to beleive at the moment but it will!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM?

It comprises a storage tank which can be buried under garden or path, drive or patio which collects water from the roof, filters off leaves and other debris and then stores it. Then, when you flush the toilet or run the taps, a pump in the tank comes on automatically.

The system holds about 3 weeks worth of water, depending on the size of the building. The tank can be topped up by the water mains in case of drought as it should not run dry. If the tank gets too full after heavy rain, an overflow pipe discharges the excess to a soakaway.

A rainwater harvesting system starts saving you water immediately, and will do so for many years, with minimal upkeep and maximum reliability.There is a very useful website which identifies key questions that you might now be asking about rainwater harvesting systems such as:

Answers can be found at: http://www.savetherain.info/media-centre/rainwater-harvesting-faqs.aspx

Or check out the UK Rainwater Harvesting Association at: http://www.ukrha.org/

Where can I buy water butts?

Debbie — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 07:30:22 +0000

Severe gales and floodng expected to hit parts of the UK in the next 48 hours as hurricane Katia makes its way across the Atlantic.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/10/britain-braces-itself-for-storms-and-floods

Time to make sure you can capture some of the expected heavy rainfall by installing a water butt.

You can buy water butts everywhere now – on line, in garden centres, supermarkets and even garages .

There are many different types, shapes and sizes – try to buy water butts using re-cycled materials if possible.

Here are just a selection to inspire you:

http://waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/

http://www.waterbutts.com/

http://www.dobbies.co.uk/acatalog/Water-Butts.html

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Shop/Gardening+Equipment/Watering+Equipment/Water+Butts /List/?gclid=CKWf9I2o2JoCFQ0FZgod-xhI2Q

http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/water-butts-14/750-litre-wall-tank-water-butt-71.html

http://www.selections.com/garden-products/irrigation/water-butts/

http://www.crocus.co.uk/products/_/tools/water-butts/prcid.97/

Weather and climate – the difference?

Debbie — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:40:24 +0000

The difference between weather and climate is a measure of time. Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere “behaves” over relatively long periods of time.

When we talk about climate change, we talk about changes in long-term averages of daily weather.Here are some interesting websites that explain more about weather and climate:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/climate/climate_weather.html

http://eo.ucar.edu/basics/

Wherever you live in the world and whatever your climate or weather, rain is crucial to our survival – it feeds our crops to provide the food that is the life source that makes our bodies function.

With more rain forecast in the UK over the next few days, it would be wise to make sure we capture as much of it as possible. and not it simply disapear down the drains.A staggering 100,000 litres of rainwater fall on the roof of every UK home every year.

Buying a water butt is the simplest way to harvest the rain and use it in your garden.

To make the most of your butt, connect it to the downpipe from your guttering. Many water butts come with a simple connection kits and it’s really easy to do.
A water butt can be plastic or wooden. Some have a tap at the bottom of the barrel which makes it easy to fill a watering can or fix a hose.
If your barrel doesn’t have a tap, you’ll have to scoop water out from the top. A lid of fine mesh will stop leaves and small animals from falling in – you don’t want to feed your garden guests in one place and drown them in another!

Check out these sites for more inspiration:

http://www.waterwise.org.uk/reducing_water_wastage_in_the_uk/house_and_garden/water_butts.html

http://www.waterbuttsdirect.co.uk

ebay catches the rain

Debbie — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:33:33 +0000

Even ebay has woken up to the importance of rainwater harvesting: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=rainwater+harvesting