Cost of Flushing

Slinky

When we moved into this house, the previous owner had installed a rainwater harvesting system on top of the flat roofed extension.  This had been disconnected from the bathroom when that was upgraded and was only collecting rainwater. The surveyor reckoned given the size of the beast it could weigh a tonne when full and recommended removal. Considering the extension had previously had subsidence problems, we took his advice.  Pity really as we're in a very dry part of the country.

It was a real struggle getting it out, a roofer had to cut the tank in half to remove it. How they got it onto the roof in the first place is a mystery.

kimwp

ragz_2 said:

We have always done 'let it mellow' - we have really hard water and it's ruined the toilets! They were pretty bad when we moved in (original ones, I'm sure!) and we rent so not hugely fussed, but they do all look awful now.
To be honest, for 0.8p a flush I am happy to pay a few quid a month to flush my toilets but mostly I do it because I hate the water waste, I grew up with composting toilets... 

Push the water over the u-bend with the toilet brush, then pour in cleaning vinegar (or normal white vinegar, but cleaning vinegar is stronger)-leave overnight to soften the limescale and it'll scrub off easily. I learnt this after chipping it off with a knife and marking the bowl horribly and spending a depressing afternoon with a pumice stone.

milasavesmoney

JIL said:

I really dont understand why there isnt something that collects shower/bath/ washing machine water and then directs this to flushing toilets.
 Homes are full of gadgets and systems, why haven't we seen some thing like this for the 3 bedroom house.

Taos, New Mexico, USA is home to Earth homes. They have systems that have been constructed to do this and the excess goes to watering the yard/garden. 

maryb

just wanted to say, most sewer drains are built on the assumption that there will be a certain amount of water going down them.  They deliberately have quite a shallow slope because of this.  If you “let it mellow” you could be storing up problems with blocked drains featuring in your future.  A local primary school tried this and had to give it up.  (But that could also be because of exasperated parents complaining they couldn’t get their little darlings to remember to flush the loo at home.)

kimwp

maryb said:

just wanted to say, most sewer drains are built on the assumption that there will be a certain amount of water going down them.  They deliberately have quite a shallow slope because of this.  If you “let it mellow” you could be storing up problems with blocked drains featuring in your future.  A local primary school tried this and had to give it up.  (But that could also be because of exasperated parents complaining they couldn’t get their little darlings to remember to flush the loo at home.)

Not sure I follow this. The amount of water with each flush would be the same. Or do you mean with the build up of loo roll in the toilet? 

maryb

You wouldn’t be flushing as often so the total going through the pipes wouldn’t be enough to keep things moving along

kimwp

maryb said:

You wouldn’t be flushing as often so the total going through the pipes wouldn’t be enough to keep things moving along

Oh, I see, when it joined the main sewer with everyone else's flushings?

Floss

JIL said:

I really dont understand why there isnt something that collects shower/bath/ washing machine water and then directs this to flushing toilets.
 Homes are full of gadgets and systems, why haven't we seen some thing like this for the 3 bedroom house.

Taos, New Mexico, USA is home to Earth homes. They have systems that have been constructed to do this and the excess goes to watering the yard/garden. 

One of my sons lives in an apartment in Leeds that has a grey water harvest system along with solar & wind power.