The Great Use Less Water Hunt

gromituk

Exactly - they are forcing people to take some trouble, rather than just turning on a tap and wasting resources like there's no tomorrow. That is no bad thing. Perhaps we should all have to pump our own water? That would make us think!

zar

In our local paper a few weeks ago, after the water company announced it had the powers to make everyone switch to a water meter, a tip from "name and address witheld" was that she tipped the water from her hot water bottle into a saucepan each morning ready to heat up again in the evening. I assume she was embarresed/making a point about being on the breadline, but I thought it was actually quite a good way of saving both water and power (since hot water bottles are pretty efficient). In hard water areas I guess you'd have to change the water sometimes to avoid build up of scale.

I'd really like to decrease the amount of water I use, so keep these tips coming. I know my biggest sins - running the tap for washing up, rinsing veg etc and long showers - and I am trying to address them!

carolbee

I have emailed Mid Kent water to ask them to clarify the situation to me - in writing!

Tickle_2

2 points about this saving water malarky - Yes we should all be doing our bit for environmental reasons, but what about the big boys?

- Water boards are offering these save a flush thingies - But I bet that no-one is making toilets with smaller cisterns yet!

- Yes we still need to do our bit, but this unfortunately only makes the water boards complacent about fixing the major problem. Surely there should be a dual campaign. One to make households more economical with water, one to put pressure on the water boards, afterall it's not unreasonable for a person to have enough water pressure to shower in the morning - if they can't they probably resort to a bath & use more water!:eek: :mad: . Then think of the environmental & economic savings we could make:D

pdoff

we use bath water for baby, then top up for 3 year old (if he goes to bed as early as baby he wakes up too nearly so they can't share) then top up with kettle for us to have quick wash. we have no garden or plants to water so what else could we use old water for? instead of waiting for water to get warm enough to wash up i sometimes boil the kettle. is this just as bad as is using electricity?

carolbee

Before we plumbed our bath water to go out down the hosepipe as waste water I spoke to Mid Kent Water, our supplier who confirmed that this was OK to do. Since reading another post of this thread, I have just spoken to r, Mid Kent Water again, who made a note on my file what I am doing with our bath water, in case we are reported for using a hosepipe. She said quite specifically that we are doing nothing wrong, in fact she encouraged it!

I have emailed as well so that I have it in writing.

I have no knowledge of what other water authorities rules are.

Skiduck

put a brick, or other heavy object in your toilet cistern to reduce the volume, thus reducing every flush.

zeke

Our local Neighbourhood Watch has just introduced a share a bath scheme. I'm off down to no 7's tonight at 8 o'clock. Joey at no 12 has got 830 till 9.

robnye

Originally Posted by robnye
have i read this right...... surely you are not suggesting peeing into a bottle...... ha ha

katieowl wrote:

Yes!!! THAT goes onto the compost heap :rotfl:

do you then empty the bottle under cover of darkness, or proudly marched down your garden with bottle of yellow contents in full show....... or even simpler, sit on the compost bin and cut out the middle bit.......:D
right i of to find a bottle....... i need a wee :rotfl:

gromituk

Tickle wrote:

Water boards are offering these save a flush thingies - But I bet that no-one is making toilets with smaller cisterns yet!

Water regulations do apply to toilet cisterns - I think they are currently limited to 7 litres, in the past being 9 litres. The problem is that below a certain capacity the bowl may not be cleared properly. If this is because you have put a brick in the cistern then you can remove it; if it is because the cistern is too small, it's harder to correct. There are also a lot of dual-flush cisterns around.

Interestingly, cisterns in this country have generally been syphonic, until very recently. These are less likely to leak water into the bowl than the continental-style ones with a valve that lifts when you pull the handle. These are now becoming available though.