Water meter fitted today, can I use bath water on plants?

BARGAINHUNTER!

Hi

Ive just had a water meter fitted today, so looking at ways to save water and keep my garden looking nice!

Im going to get a water butt and was planning on connecting it to the downpipe that takes bathwater to the drain. Would i be able to use this water on the garden?

Im also going to get a washing up bowl for the sink, and hopefully use the dirty water on the garden. Would this be ok?

newsgroup_monkey

I guess it depends what you put in your bath.

If you simply wash in bathwater with regular soap, it shouldn't make much difference, but chances are, you use bubble bath and/or a fancy soap. I'm not sure I'd be using that on Vegetables!

I was brought up having baths, but once we changed to a water meter back in the late 80s, we all moved on to showers and have done ever since (although it's still nice to have a bath once in a while)

BARGAINHUNTER!

Unfortunately I don't have a shower. I guess i could stop using bubble bath! Is washing up water ok?

valk_scot

Water with detergent in it isn't great to use on plants all the time but it's better than none at all in a dry spell.

Bath water with just soap is fine. Soap and skin cells don't hurt plants. Your veg might taste a bit funny though so best to keep it for the lawn and shrubs etc, not plants you're going to eat.

Bath water with small amounts of bubble bath..mmm, use with caution.

Washing up water contains both a fair amount of detergent (not good for plants) and food particles, which can go rancid and smell. Best not to use.

Really, it's best to connect the water butt to the rain guttering. Rain wayer may have its own share of pollutants but the plants were going to get rained on anyway, no?

alleycat`

Whilst i'm all for saving water such as using water butts, flushing loo's only when necessary etc. are you sure that a water meter is going to cost you more for the same amount of water?

My dads neighbour (bachelor) uses less water than my parents do but because he is on "rates" he pays more than twice as much annually as they do (on a meter).

Might be a bit drastic to start soaping up the ole veggies just yet.

annie123

I live in a first floor maisonette and all the gutters/pipes are on the ground floor maisonette's garden/patio so they have a water butt and I have to use watering cans filled from my bath or the old bath water and I've done that for 18 years with no problems.

We sometimes use a small amount of bubble bath but don't normally and it waters everything, but I am very careful to water the ground not the leaves........don't fancy lettuce that's been dunked in my bath water, even if I do wash it under the tap.

I have a hose that goes into the bath (held down with a weight) out into my hall, down the stairs, out the side door, along the alley between the houses, pass 2 other gardens then I get to mine.
I'm not doing that with watering cans!!

Bath water goes on the soil around everything in my garden.
I have fruit trees, shrubs, bonsai, lots of veg, annuals etc, the only thing that gets fresh water is my pond if it needs a top up.

If you wish to reuse the washing up water, use a plastic bowl and use it to flush the loo with.

Barneysmom

I buy babywash now to use in the bath as there's less chemicals in it, it's fine.

annie123

Thats a good idea BM. thanks

peter_the_piper

We are on meter and we have to water every day and use a lot more than a house would do. Our 1/2 year bill is only £269.00 and we use about 100 to 200 gallons a day. When my Mum had a meter fitted her bill came down from £500.00 per year down to £200 so your savings with a meter may well cover the amount you use for watering.

lufoo7

i remember reading something about 'grey' water being fine to use but not to store, so putting it in a water butt isn't a good idea, can't remember why thoughm will try and find it

hostie

annie123 how do you get the water to go into the hose? Do you have a special contraption or is the end of the hose just plunked into the bath water?