The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Bangbang on February 25, 2012, 09:28:21 pm
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I have an I.B.C. tank which we use for water storage. It is filled from the guttering from
the goats shed. for the first time since installment it has ran dry. We use it to supply our
sheep paddock. I do have other means of water obviously but I am now thinking of
increasing storage capasity for the summer, so saving water has now become a priority.
I do have a private water supply.
Every now and then I have a pee outside (saves water and leccy)
More water saving suggestions would be helpful.
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You can't beat IBCs for cost effective water storage. I think we have six, all black, plus a 5000 litre underground water storage tank that was stupidly expensive by comparison.
This time of year we should be full, but the big tank is empty and the others are about half full.
We run the loos and washing machine off the big tank when its in use. It isn't necessary to flush every time unless you have visitors!
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i believe the phrase is
if its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down!!!
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bucket and chuck it
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possibly a move to Scotland could alter your water catching ideas
some parts have had 90 inches of rain
the last time there was a drought was the summer of 76 with Donna summer playing in background good hay and silage was made that year beautiful golden straw truly a summer of love ;) :farmer: :D
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Ahhh saving water... Here in Aus we know all about it!
We have two 20,000L tanks, plus a few smaller ones (all filled with rainwater from the roof of our house, carport and two garden sheds), and a bore. One of our tanks is specifically for grey water. We're also on town water, but we have quite an extensive garden and because of watering restrictions we use our own tanks to water the garden, vegies and chooks.
One of the best things to do is to hook up all your grey water to a tank. If the plumbing is too ridiculous to fix the whole thing up, then just bring a bucket or two along with you every time you have a shower - once you're done, let it cool, and then stick it straight on the garden! The same can be done for your laundry - stick your washing machine hose into a bucket rather than the drain, and use the run off. It would probably help to use environmentally friendly soap, especially if it's going on areas of the garden that either you or animals will be eating. If it's general water usage all-round that's also a problem, put half a brick in the cistern of your toilet - that way it's always a 'half' flush. Also keep showers to under 3 minutes, and install a water-saving shower head. Using a dishwasher is actually more water-efficient than doing dishes in the sink.
Ummm that's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure more will come to me! Saving water is something that comes naturally to a lot of us Aussies...
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My location is in Aberdeenshire, and usually we do get more than our
fair share of water - but this month has been the occational quick shower.
No heavy down pours.
So I'm preparing for the predicted drought
1976 was a good year I got my first 10 geared bike
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my first memory is of 76, i was 4 and managed to get from the tiny flat in hereford were we lived and down to the river wye. they found me sat in the middle keeping cool in about 3inches of water.
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there were a few firsts in 76 ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) :farmer:
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well it was hot, hot, hot!!!!
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It was the best year ever all the best things happened then ;D (go on guess when I was born :D)
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<< Every now and then I have a pee outside (saves water and leccy) >>
Yes but BangBang it's a terrible waste of pee ;D Best thing is to do it on the compost heap - it's the best compost activator known. It's a bit undignified for ladies, but we can use a bucket 8) :thumbsup:
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Ah 1976.
I visited the Isle of Arran (Scotland) for the first time and fell in love with the island (eventually lived there for eleven years) and yes, there was a water silage. We were camping on a friend's family farm. The water supply which was spring fed, dried up so we had to resort to using the well and boiling every scrap. I was pregnant with my eldest so had morning sickness every morning. Every day we walked down to the nearest village where there is a bakery and bought a loaf hot from mthe oven to eat that night. It was laways half gone by the time we reached the other end of the village. I had indigestion every afternoon. When the rain eventually came, I stood outside in it and got soaked, face turned up to the sky.
I remember 1976.
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This thread seems to have morphed into "1976 memory lane"! ;D
Anyway, like Bangbang I'm in Aberdeenshire, if at the other end of it, and at least on the coast it's been quite dry.
My tip for water saving:
I use the bath water (don't have a shower - council house!) for flushing the toilet - after I've pre-washed the most dirty clothes in it (in the bath water, not the toilet - just realised it sounded weird!)... This triple use also means I don't feel too bad about wasting water for a bath. However, if the council in their wisdom had supplied the house with a shower, I'm sure it would be possible to catch the water in a shallow tub before it disappears down the drain.
And in case you wonder why I bother saving water, as I don't have it metered and the tap never runs dry - well, I've been brought up not to waste it, and I never will, not matter where I live...
To add to this: Don't know whether that's possible in your set-up - but at home (a long time ago) we always caught all the water from the washing machine in buckets, tubs etc. Good for the loo, again, but we also carried it out into the garden in dry summers!
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water meters Ina if your area has had the pipe system upgraded cast pipes replaced with plastic and the lead pipe to the house replaced there is a fitment that is installed at that replacement programme
all they do is screw the meter on when they decide to go meter :farmer:
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Ahhh... 1976 a year of sun, sun, sun I was working in the Oman and we did not have a water shortage just lost of sun and sand - also we had a soap that would foam when used in the sea, clean but saty =
here at home we save by using lots of run offs the roofs and also have a well as back up,
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water meters Ina if your area has had the pipe system upgraded cast pipes replaced with plastic and the lead pipe to the house replaced there is a fitment that is installed at that replacement programme
all they do is screw the meter on when they decide to go meter :farmer:
I'd love to have my water metered - back in the times when I lived where that was standard I paid a lot less than any of my neighbours! Now I always feel I'm financing somebody else's excess.
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if you want some extra water feel free to come and get it. its been very mild but very wet.
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4 months ago we did look into buying a small Shetland island that was for sale (about 16acres )...it had light house
but no Pub.
But we're still thinking about it.....
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what about the put a plastic bottle of water in cistern could be a brick means less water is in your cistern hope this is helpful
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4 months ago we did look into buying a small Shetland island that was for sale (about 16acres )...it had light house
but no Pub.
But we're still thinking about it.....
You'd have to brew your own. ;D :yum: :yum: I once read an article about a coouple who bought a Scottish island and the wife lived there alone for several months as her OH had to carry on working. She had to row about three miles to get to the shop. It was one of the Skerries, I believe.
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Agree on the IBCs... I bought 4 and they all got full so have bought another 6. Not the most attractive of things but beats using tap water given when we bought our place it automatically went onto a meter as everywhere had them installed and its the law once a new owner takes a property to have the meter activated if its already installed (at least thats what Anglian Water told us).
Suspect the water may go a bit green as they are the normal IBCs but should be OK for watering plants.
I have been laying 1000 bricks for a wall which uses lots of water for the mortar and cleaning the cement mixer - and it was all harvested rain water which makes you feel good.
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4 months ago we did look into buying a small Shetland island that was for sale (about 16acres )...it had light house
but no Pub.
But we're still thinking about it.....
are you talking about brothers isle in the yell sound. trust me its not aplace to live. just for sheep in the summer. a mile crossing of yell sound in winter on a small boat is not a good idea. its gone from the property section. lastly the local council are not keen on people living on the small islands. they have just been forced to allow one that has ahouse and is very sheltered. yell sound has some very strong currents.