Strangest Gutter drain ever

muskoka

Semi detached house - rear elevation - (In the middle of the rear elevation where the two houses meet) there is a single gutter coming from roof feeding to a downpipe, which at a level of about 4' from ground level it then splits into two short downpipes which then feed into water butts - one water butt for each house...House was built about 1918. There is NO rear drain for the roof gutters to drain into - only these two water butts.

I knew my house had this water butt, but assumed it had been syphoned off of next doors downpipe? In fact next door has the water butt feature too?

Only way I can think of fixing this is to replace water butt with largish attractive plastic plant container, put a hole in the side of it & put in a hose, seal the hose in place & feed the hose down the garden underground into a soakaway? Cant install new drains, just had extension built/patio laid. Just not possible to do that now. It must be the weirdest thing I've ever seen.

Anyone got any alternative ideas for this please?
I have never ever seen anything like it?

WestonDave

First option is to look at some of the more decorative water butts available - there are ones that look like columns and all sorts - http://www.waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/decorative.htm

phill99

Its not strange. Many surface water downpipes just go in to soakaways, which this probably originally did, but in recent years has been diverted in to a water butt.

muskoka

Thanks for the link. Excellent. According to my neighbour, these two houses never had a soakaway? Strange I think. I'll be speaking to another neighbour whose lived there for 50 years. They'll know the history. This old neighbour has been a mine of information. Mega helpful

keystone

Draw off the water and use it to water your garden - simples.

Cheers

Dippypud

If the dry weather continues you may be grateful for this...

Are you due a Water Rate rebate as you don't have surface water drainage at the rear of your property ?

muskoka

Dippypud wrote: »

If the dry weather continues you may be grateful for this...

Are you due a Water Rate rebate as you don't have surface water drainage at the rear of your property ?

Wow - Can you offer any more info on this surface water drainge rebate please? Could be very interesting......

tanith

muskoka wrote: »

Wow - Can you offer any more info on this surface water drainge rebate please? Could be very interesting......

Contact whoever your water supplier is they'll have the information you want..

muskoka

This will be a real result for me. Thanks so much.