[patoncastle]

Hello Fellow Allotmenters,

I would like to share with you my idea for a rain water collection system. This has come about with all this hot weather the main water collection tank has run out of water (only serves 3 plots). I have emailed and will be phoning the local authority to see what they can do about it as im almost out of water in my own water butt too. I have had to resort to bringing a bottle of water with me just to help water my crops.

The bucket will be replaced with a water butt when i get hold of another one but for now it was a good idea made with the wood from recycled pallets. It has a dual purpose too, to keep the compost dry(er) over winter too.

I love this hot weather but really need some heavy rain to give my plot a good water and replenish the water stocks. Do the local authority have to provide water to me? I pay the allotment rate for water provision.

Any comments or further water ideas are most welcome

[maxie]

Get on the phone and get it sorted if you have paid for water it should be there,just be prepared for every excuse under the sun i know this from experience with a similar problem,is it mains water or collected water?
If you have a car i take fresh water down in 5 gallon drums for my chickens,but sometimes the containers take a bit of finding.
I also got all my 45 gallon drums for water butts free from a farm sales place,theyd had iodine in them but a quick wash and they were ok,once it gets dry you need a few of these though.

[patoncastle]

We do pay (not a lot mind) for water but it is only a rain havesting system no mains water

I'll get on ebay for containers I think and see what I can find. Just after I phone the council again.

[Nobbie]

It's a nice idea, but I don't think it will prove very useful due to the limited area you have for collecting the rain. Even it it fills up over winter, it will soon be empty once the sun comes out. I used to live down that way and there really isn't much rain in most summers. Where I live now I have two large butts fed from one side of the house roof and they soon empty when the sun comes out and I generally still use the hose for a lot of stuff just so I always have rainwater for the blueberries.

[patoncastle]

Just an update folks, the council did refill the water tank and acknowledge that the will need to provision for that next year in a dry spell. Clearly now with the thunder showers theres not much of an issue with water shortage and nicely filling the tanks and my water butts up. The bucket in the photo has now been replaced with a slimline water butt

[sowitgrowit]

I use something similar - a small surface area, but I hope to double or triple my containers, then leave them to fill over the winter. It isn't great but I have a smallish plot and don't water too often anyway (they have roots don't they?! ).  Then it will just be a case  of every little helps through any dry spells.