Richard
Bell's Wild West Yorkshire nature diary Richard
Bell's Wild West Yorkshire nature diary
Easter Monday, 9th April, 2007
OUR NEIGHBOURS Julian and Juliet - our joined
on neighbours in this 1930s semi-detached house - are as keen on growing veg
and doing things in a reasonably green way as we are. Inspired by this week’s
It’s Not Easy
Being Green, I’m discussing with Julian ways of collecting
more rainwater.
Barbara
and I already have water butts connected to our greenhouse, shed and extension
roof but at present water run-off from the largest roof, the house roof, is
just going down the drain. Because of the large area, this is the one with the
potential to recharge an empty water butt in a summer thunder-shower.
We’ve got a mini-water butt which we’re going to fit in the corner
of our patio. This could be just the first in a linked chain of butts, tanks
or ponds going down 
the
garden. Julian, who is an engineer, suggests that we could use a ballcock valve
to control the flow. If we took the pipe down the hedge, he and I could take
the water to tanks on either side.
Barbara and I now have a water meter, so it makes sense to be making the most of what we can have for free. This would save energy too as the mains water needs pumping to reach us here.
It would also save a lot of energy walking down the garden with a watering
can.