Water Sprinkler

[Old Salt]

I live in the Anglia Water region. They have announced that we should conserve water. I have a small kitchen garden and some very mature large flowers and bushes, which thrive with birds, bees and insects

I have exhausted my water butts, and have for the second time in four days I have put down a sixteenth of an inch of water on the kitchen garden.

Does Anglia Water mean we should stop watering our gardens and kitchen gardens and washing cars?

My kitchen garden is really well advanced and it needs regular watering. Everything in the normal garden is brown and very near to dying.

I would appreciate some helpful ideas and opinions. I want to be a considerate water user, but why is it that Anglia Water continue to do nothing about trapping some of the winter water runoff? This has been an issue since 1960, probably even before that.

Thanks for any assistance

Old Salt

[Old Salt]

I'm asking you rather than Anglia Water, whom I believe will only tell me we need to conserve water. At least I will be able to get an impartial answer from Answer Bank Members.

Thank you in advance
OS

[Kathy46]

Why dont you fill up your water buts with the hose, then if Anglian Water issue a hose pipe ban (they havn't yet) at least you will have that water to use.

[rowanwitch]

use a natural soap rather than detergent for bathing and use the water for your plants, get a diverter plumbed to put your washing machine water into a storage container....
and water your vegetables and those plants that you can't bear to lose .... I think a bigger saving is avoiding washing cars especially in commercial car washes. and watering lawns which recover once it starts to rain agan

[gingejbee]

This is not the same as "restrictions" ie hosepipe ban, so I would continue to use my supply as, and when, needed - but not in a wasteful way.
"Trapping some of the winter water runoff" - this would involve building huge impounding reservoirs, which many people object to - NIMBY etc.

[rowanwitch]

not strictly true as you could have a holding tank installed under your lawn ... but huge and expensive far better to recycle as much as possible Any ban is more likely to be sprinkler rather than hosepipe as they are very wasteful. and as above using a hose to wash a car is probably even worse as how often do you just leave it running while you are soaping and scrubbing, adding more water butts is a good idea you can link them with lengths of hose and they will fill from the first one if the hose ends are set to create a siphon effect This works best if they are set on slightly graduated heights getting a little lower the further you get from the 'filler' one

[Old Salt]

Thanks for the responses, everybody.

My back garden is not very big, and as I am retired I cannot take on extra expense, or any extra physical effort. I just want to enjoy my fresh veg and watch the birds and bees; I find just watching from my kitchen a very soothing and relaxing; it is a bonus if I can sit on my little patio.

I shall keep your ideas in mind when I write to Anglia Water. I'm not expecting them to provide anything like the concerned responses I have been given here.

Once again, thank you all very much, indeed

OS

[gingejbee]

rowan: my reply mentioning impounding reservoirs was to Old Salt's original question ie Anglian Water doing nothing to trap winter water runoff. Don't think the water company would consider tanks under everyone's lawn!

[AlBags]

Get yourself some bags of water-retentative gel .. and use those mixed in container compost. Release of moisture is slower .. no water wasted.

[Old Salt]

Something to consider Albags

Thanks for the response

OS