Flushing loo manually with rain water

veryintrigued

Hi there

There is already a thread relating to water harvesting but my query is more specific (and fiddly and manual!!).

I have a waterbutt which collects water from a shed roof.

Am thinking of using the collected water to flush loos (manually via a bucket - especially the downstairs one) rather than periodically emptying the butt down the outside drain.

Any thoughts anyone please? Does anyone do similar? If they do does the water stain the toilet? Smell? If it does how do you get around it?

Cheers all in advance

Poosmate

I would do this. If I had a downstairs toilet and a waterbutt and was on a meter. I must get a waterbutt.

Poo

Red_Doe

I had to do this last year when our water was off for a fortnight on more than one occasion (incidentally, if you`re with a water board and your water is off for x amount of time they will refund you for that time)
Not strictly rainwater, but I have a burn (stream) on the croft land (in the field next to the house) so I collected water from that in bottles (this was an emergency situation ) and filled up the cistern with it and used it to flush. There was no smell, the water isn`t `dirty` and no problem aside from the hassle of filling up the cistern. But if I hadn`t had access to that water we wouldn`t have been able to use the loo after the cistern ran out at all!
So use your rainwater, it`ll be just fine.

[Deleted User]

we use our rainwater harvesting system for toilet flushing and it is no different than using water from a waterbutt. Use your butt water, it is good

Ken68

Yes ,Very, have being doing this probably for 5 years now. Have lots of tanks orf lots of sheds, even though do run out sometimes and then use the council wheelie bin.
Bills are £25 a year Anglian Water SoLow tariff, this includes mains water for cooking, showers and laundry.
Am presently researching the use of Brita filters for making tea from rainwater. Not sure if this is safe and wouldn't mind your thoughts on this.

bobthedambuilder

You might want to think about filtering it to avoid any big debris clogging up the system - but if you're emptying straight down the loo probably even this not necessary. An occasional dose of bleach will stop any staining or bad smells.

Ken68 wrote: »

Have lots of tanks orf lots of sheds, even though do run out sometimes and then use the council wheelie bin.

What do you use the wheelie bin for?:think:

Poosmate

bobthedambuilder wrote: »

What do you use the wheelie bin for?:think:

Collecting rainwater I suspect.

I read, I think on the first page of the Rainwater Harvesting thread that someone asked their local council for an old wheelie bin (one that had maybe lost it's wheels or lid) so he could use it as a waterbutt. He said they were delighted to give him one as it costs them to dispose of them. Others stated that their council's were not so accommodating.

Good MSE idea!

Poo

bobthedambuilder

Poosmate wrote: »

Collecting rainwater I suspect.

OIC - run out of tanks, not rainwater!:D

Ken68

Yes have to use the wheelie bin most years and does give chance to clean out the other tanks.
If I was to start from scratch would use a 1000litre water container the sort in a steel cage and with a large tap. Neighbour has one cost £40 plus delivery.

wallbash

Any thoughts anyone please? Does anyone do similar? If they do does the water stain the toilet? Smell? If it does how do you get around it?

My first thought, 'get a life'

If you want to live in a third rate country move, you can take this MSE too far.

Red_Doe

wallbash wrote: »

My first thought, 'get a life'

If you want to live in a third rate country move, you can take this MSE too far.

Lots of folks use rainwater and `grey` water for purposes like this. It doesn`t mean it`s third world living, but it IS greener than using fresh water.