[Growster...]

I think the demand for water is ever increasing too.  Power showers take more litres of water.  People shower more often - when we grew up, we used flannels and a bath sometimes; now it's not unusual for people to shower twice a day.

Then there's power washers and dishwashers becoming increasingly widely used.  At least the washing / dishwasher machines are more efficient with the newest models.

Add to that the ever increasing number of houses / households, and you can see why water is a scarce resource in places - even before you consider the leakage rates (which have generally been reduced a lot over the last few years).

Harvesting one's own water is a really good idea.  However, it saddens me to see people working out how they can find ways to continue spending the precious resource from taps in contravention of the ban (general comment not directed at anyone in particular on this thread or otherwise).

Without getting political Yorkie, there has to be more emphasis on new development with the water infrastructure placed on the same level as roads etc.

[compostqueen]

The water was turned on for the first time on our plots yesterday but I won't be using it as I have my own stored in three large blue barrels with an overflow into one of those loft cisterns which I can then dip my cans into.  I think harvesting water is the right thing to do and everyone who has a plot should do so      It's much easier to have water on your own plot than have to lug it from the communal  tank 

[compostqueen]

All three blue barrels now empty with just the reserve tank full.  I attached a pair of old tights to the downpipe as the butts were getting dirt in and clogging up my watering can rose. Which, I have to say, drives me mad 

So, now waiting for the heavens to open 

[stompy]

I emptied all the winter water from the 4 blue barrels that i have, i cleaned them and now await the rain that is forecast on monday tuesday and wednesday to re-fill them.

I don't like the idea of water stored for such a long time (from last autum and winter) for use on my plants, it can have bugs and diseases in it. Fresh Fresh Fresh Spring water 

If all else fails i will use the site suply thats at the top of my plot 

[compostqueen]

I'm not that proud. As long as it's wet I'm not fussed.  I don't know what disease is likely to be in it. It looked very clean as it came out. I washed my hands in it   

[stompy]

I washed my hands in it 

How do you feel?
Any dizzines nausea forgetfullness. 

[LilacSandy]

I have just acquired a couple of large blue barrells to put at the top of my plot, the only problem is that my shed it at the bottom of the plot and I only have a cheap plastic greenhouse there at the moment. 

Does anyone know of a way I can harvest water without a shed?

[grendel]

I am planning a tin roof over my compost bins, draining to a butt, maybe you could just put a roof up on legs with a tin sheet roof to a gutter.
Grendel

[LilacSandy]

That sounds like a plan Grendal, I wonder if I could put some wood around the greenhouse and get that to drain into a gutter.  I will go away and play.

[grendel]

any flat sheet angled, or a tarpaulin can catch the water and direct it where you want.
Grendel

[trampyjoe]

I'm not that proud. As long as it's wet I'm not fussed.  I don't know what disease is likely to be in it. It looked very clean as it came out. I washed my hands in it   

I moved a big water tank that i was given to my plot last weekend. The conjunctivitis that I got from a small splash in the eye has only just cleared up

[Growster...]

Lilacs - go for it! We have sheets of tin all over the place to drain water (when it rains that is)!

It doesn't really matter as long as you can see your bath or whatever filling up for nothing!

Our plot looks like a tip, but we get free water!

[jrko]

1 IBC with 1000l and 4x 250l ish blue barrels. 

Gonna get another IBC (or 2) because they come with a tap, have a flat base so are easy to site, hold 1000l in a smaller space than 4 blue barrels and don't require all the plumbing of multiple containers. 

The blue barrels will then be placed strategically with an inverted pyramid collector up top

[Growster...]

We don't have water connected to our plots, but there's a communal tank which is supposed to be kept full, but apparently elfunsaftee has put the mockers on that now.

Years ago, when the paths on the plots were well maintained, there was a route down to the stream, where we could replenish cans to our heart's content. When we started allotmenting again a year or so ago, there was no way down as the bottom three plots are now completely overgrown, and impenetrable.

Well almost impenetrable, as yesterday, I said a rude word, (very rude word actually, two in fact) and attacked an alternative route through the North West passage, using a sharpened 'Growstada' as a weapon of mass destruction.

I got to the stream in an hour, and actuallu started to rebuild the dam we made to form a deeper pool for dipping the bucket!

Nothing like a bit of crashing around in places like that, I thought I saw Dr Livingstone at one stage...

[compostqueen]

I bet that was fun    So, did you manage to extract any water then ?