The Great Use Less Water Hunt

katieowl_2 · 24 May 2006 at 2:05PM

robnye wrote:

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

Well.............as we have no loo's at the allotment, mine tends to go in a builders bucket then straight on the compost, and DH has a special "Wee Miracle" bottle we made him for a joke at Christmas, out of a 6 pint milk bottle and a set of labels done on Print Shop (with matching funnel) so he just marches off with his bottle - everyone thinks we are mad anyway :rotfl: You did ask!

But seriously it is a good activator for compost. I must admit that we tend to use the loo's at home, despite having compost here too. But when I retire to my smallholding in the middle of nowhere I would have a composting toilet in a trice! Some of them collect the wee seperately so you can use it as fertiliser.

Regards

Kate

K9ine · 24 May 2006 at 3:13PM

In the bath I almost always use only 2in (5cm) of water. This uses much less water than when I shower.

tangojulie · 24 May 2006 at 3:14PM

As I understand it, hosepipe bans work like this: if a water company foresees a threat to the supply, it can apply to the Secretary of State for permission to issue a hosepipe ban. If permission is granted the water company can then forbid any or all of a range of activities listed in the legislation.

Unfortunately the law was drawn up long before micro watering systems, home swimming pools, watering your garden with grey water, and using pressure washers on your drive were thought of. This means that none of these are specifically mentioned, and so can't be specifically allowed or banned. Whether you can do them or not depends on whether they fall within one of the categories that is mentioned. The water companies have taken legal advice on whether (eg) micro watering systems count as hosepipes, and have been told that they do. Equally, there is nothing they can do about people using pressure washers, because the advice is that they're not caught by any of the existing categories.

The water companies are well aware that this is daft and will be lobbying for a change in the law. But this takes time, so all they can do for now is exercise discretion in choosing whether or not to penalise people for breaking a ban. My guess is that if you ask them 'are micro watering systems banned?' they will say yes, but if you ask them, 'if I go on using my micro watering system for two minutes every day at midnight, will you take action against me?' they'll say no. Even if they don't, are they likely to actually do anything? After all, it's in their interests not to stop you conserving water. Just because they could, doesn't mean that they will.

Two more websites on the topic: 1. FAQs on the drought from Ofwat http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/ccwater_drought_frequently_asked_questions/$FILE/Drought+-+Frequently+Asked+Questions.pdf
2. Consumer Council for Water - lots of info and links http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/Content/navigation-watervoice-homepage

Mikeyorks · 24 May 2006 at 3:57PM

Ken68 wrote:

...pee on the compost heap

The wife finds balancing on the top of the compost bin, with her wellies on and knickers around her ankles....just a little too difficult. And further complains that the wind puts her off.

They're never happy!

shootme · 24 May 2006 at 5:55PM

pdoff wrote:

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?

I wouldn't say so because you would normally using gas to heat it up anyway.

BaJi_2 · 24 May 2006 at 5:59PM

I just got one of these for my mains fed shower. They work like tap aerators. The Oxygenics shower head (the one I have) gives just a good a shower but uses much less water. At first I looked in the UK but couldn't find one so in the end I got one from this site:

http://nrgsavers.com/

It seemed the cheapest (even from the US) but maybe there are cheaper suppliers?

JamesM_2 · 24 May 2006 at 6:08PM

I don't think I'd buy anything from that website... It's a good idea though.

Altarf · 24 May 2006 at 6:15PM

carolbee wrote:

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.

The law for all of the hosepipe bans is the same and is the Water Industry Act 1991 S76.

"76.—(1) If a water undertaker is of the opinion that a serious deficiency of water available for distribution by that undertaker exists or is threatened, that undertaker may, for such period as it thinks necessary, prohibit or restrict, as respects the whole or any part of its area, the use for the purpose of—

(a) watering private gardens; or

(b) washing private motor cars,

of any water supplied by that undertaker and drawn through a hosepipe or similar apparatus.

(2) A water undertaker imposing a prohibition or restriction under this section shall, before it comes into force, give public notice of it, and of the date on which it will come into force, in two or more newspapers circulating in the locality affected by the prohibition or restriction.

(3) Any person who, at a time when a prohibition or restriction under this section is in force, contravenes its provisions shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale."

So the fact that it has been used before it goes through the hosepipe to water the garden doesn't matter. All that matters is that it was originally supplied by the water authority, it is going through a hosepipe and it is being used to water the garden.

As you have told the water authority what you are doing and they have approved it then they are unlikely to prosecute you, but I thought that it was worth pointing out the strict legal position just in case another water authority was not as sensible.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1991/Ukpga_19910056_en_9.htm

bananajet · 24 May 2006 at 6:42PM

As a result of a problem with the main foul sewer in our village, I discovered that there is no "surface water sewer", despite Anglian Water charging residents £30 pa for the removal of rainwater. After further requests for information eventually the company informed me that less than 20% of residents claim the rebate. I also discovered that this state of affairs also applies to most small villages where the houses have been built for more than 20 years ! The water companies know full well that there is no surface water sewer (it's where the rainwater from your roof and driveway goes) yet they continue to charge every customer. The information that you may claim the £30 is tucked away in their literature but a simple call to your local council will provide you with the information you need, (ie are you connected to a surface sewer system?) and this saves you having to "dig"

through the title deeds to your property. Thereafter the procedure is painless and you get £30 taken off your water bill:T

Whoosher · 24 May 2006 at 7:47PM

Skiduck wrote:

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

Don't use a brick - they'll disintegrate over time, clogging up the cistern and then you'll need to buy a new one! Use a small-ish plastic bottle or get a hippo.

The Great Use Less Water Hunt

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