Author Topic: What are your allotment rules on water? (Read 9932 times)

growmore · « **Reply #20 on:** March 11, 2009, 10:11:14 »

Water is one of the biggest expenses our allotment association is incurring .
It is becoming a problem. The trend towards poly tunnels is making this a lot worse too. It doesn't seem fair and would be very unpopular to suggest a levy on each allotment to share the cost of the water bill which would have to be put on the rents.
Some have greenhouses some don't, some keep livestock. If you put plenty of taps on the allotments does this deter folks from catching it as it's easier to turn a tap on than put guttering up and catch it from their sheds.. Then there's always one person with the attitude (I am paying for the water so I am going to use it ) and you find hoses running water between rows of spuds etc..
The only free water now is from the sky and I think we may find that any other water that we want to use we are going to have to pay for :(.
What's others think or suggest ?

thifasmom · « **Reply #21 on:** March 11, 2009, 12:38:54 »

Quote from: growmore on March 11, 2009, 10:11:14

Water is one of the biggest expenses our allotment association is incurring .
It is becoming a problem. The trend towards poly tunnels is making this a lot worse too. It doesn't seem fair and would be very unpopular to suggest a levy on each allotment to share the cost of the water bill which would have to be put on the rents.
Some have greenhouses some don't, some keep livestock. If you put plenty of taps on the allotments does this deter folks from catching it as it's easier to turn a tap on than put guttering up and catch it from their sheds.. Then there's always one person with the attitude (I am paying for the water so I am going to use it ) and you find hoses running water between rows of spuds etc..
The only free water now is from the sky and I think we may find that any other water that we want to use we are going to have to pay for :(.
What's others think or suggest ?

i have only my garden, but how about bringing in a by law that states that one of the requirements needed for erecting a structure must be a water collecting vessel attached of a particular size, eg your basic shed size of 4 x 6 or smaller must have your basic size water butt (i can't remember the volume amt but i think you guys have an idea) then a structure of 8 x 6 must have two butts or one vessel that holds the same amt as two butts, etc, etc.

at the same time a new law that all current structures must have by a certain date water collecting vessels could also be introduced.

then during inspections anyone found to have a hose unattended left running from the mains tap pay a small fine towards the water bill.

:-\ not sure how workable this is but just an idea.

Fork · « **Reply #22 on:** March 11, 2009, 13:16:18 »

We have 5 taps(or is it 4?) ;D..shared among 24 plots.The water is turned off for the winter and not back on again until all threat of freezing is over.We are given plenty of notice but that doesnt really matter because all the plots have at least one or more rainwater butts(mainly supplied by me).

We can use hosepipes but not leave them laying on the ground between rows or leave them unnattended.We are not allowed sprinklers.I have a water butt half way up my plot which I fill with the hoepipe.This stops me running backwards and forwards to the tap....shortens the journey basically.

All water is metered and the cost shared between plotholders.....especially those who grow rice ;) ;D ;D

Kea · « **Reply #23 on:** March 11, 2009, 15:56:41 »

Quote from: lewic on March 10, 2009, 19:06:20

We are not supposed to use hoses, but there isnt anywhere to fit one anyhow. Someone suggested siphoning the water out of the trough instead, which might be possible at the bottom of my plot.

Not sure how you are supposed to water a whole allotment without a hose?!

People on our site used to siphon water mainly people with the allotment next to the trough personally i found it very rude as I have to walk a long way to a trough only to find it is emptied by the siphon. Fortunately the new contract bans siphons.

In answer to your last question i use a watering can!

Because of the distance to the trough and since new troughs were put in I have the furthest to walk on my site as no new troughs were put near me. To fill 4 cans I now walk a mile (I used google earth to work this out). Unless i use my wheelbarrow but the can's spill anyway. So you lucky people with hoses! At least i have a water supply but with our low rainfall it would be difficult without one as although i have 3 water butts I can use them in less than a week then not have them refill for months.

lightyears · « **Reply #24 on:** March 11, 2009, 16:01:51 »

my site is run by the local council and they dont apply a charge to us for using it, i have a tap in my own shed which during the summer is conected to a sprinkler system on my plot and a spray bar in my greenhouse, this is timed on a gardena timer thing for 3 mins every 24 hours to minimize the water usuage. also i inherited quite a few water butts. sprinklers are permitted as long as they are used sensibly with a timing device

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #25 on:** March 12, 2009, 08:58:46 »

Quote from: thifasmom on March 11, 2009, 12:38:54

then during inspections anyone found to have a hose unattended left running from the mains tap pay a small fine towards the water bill.

Sounds like a superb way of turning everyone against the committee!

taurus · « **Reply #26 on:** March 12, 2009, 09:17:27 »

We have 3 water tanks for 21 plots. No hose pipes allowed. The tanks are spaced well so no long walks with the cans. The rents are high, but no extra charge for the water. Switch off over the winter. I have 2 water buts.

thifasmom · « **Reply #27 on:** March 12, 2009, 09:49:23 »

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on March 12, 2009, 08:58:46

Quote from: thifasmom on March 11, 2009, 12:38:54
then during inspections anyone found to have a hose unattended left running from the mains tap pay a small fine towards the water bill.

Sounds like a superb way of turning everyone against the committee!

does it, oh dear i just thought if everyone knew the rules and abides by them then there won't be any problems but if you break the rules then you are penalised, generally that's how society is so suppose to work its only when the rules are consistently broken with the people responsible not being held accountable for their actions do we get this Peter pay for Paul system, for eg: a raise in plot prices to accommodate water wastage.

again just a thought :-\.

lewic · « **Reply #28 on:** March 12, 2009, 20:06:14 »

Quote

People on our site used to siphon water mainly people with the allotment next to the trough personally i found it very rude as I have to walk a long way to a trough only to find it is emptied by the siphon

I can understand your frustration! Our troughs automatically refill if water is taken out though, so it wouldnt cause a problem on our site.

The issue I have is that our water is filthy, as there is not enough turnover so it goes stagnant. My freshly planted daisies got mineral water last week!

Uncle Joshua · « **Reply #29 on:** March 12, 2009, 20:45:13 »

Quote from: BAK on March 11, 2009, 07:53:20

I assume that at some point in the dim and distant past some plot holders had put the hose on and disappeared for several hours.

There is a guy on our site that comes and puts his hose on before 8am Monday to Friday and doesn't return until after 6pm and on a weekend he has it on before 7am and never returns before 9pm, his tap is the first on our site meaning none of the other plots can get any water unless someone known as Mick turns his pipe off. ;D

saddad · « **Reply #30 on:** March 12, 2009, 20:49:06 »

As a Treasurer I suggest you send him the water bill........ ::)

Uncle Joshua · « **Reply #31 on:** March 12, 2009, 20:58:02 »

Quote from: saddad on March 12, 2009, 20:49:06

As a Treasurer I suggest you send him the water bill........ ::)

Our water is in our £19 rent, its not on a meter and we can use as much of it as we like, I have made the guys hose vanish from time to time just so the rest of us get a chance but only after he was asked to play far more times than I can remember but didn't listen.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #32 on:** March 13, 2009, 08:40:59 »

I'd just take his hose off myself. If he got too pushy it would have an accident. Sometimes direct action is the only way!

SPUDLY · « **Reply #33 on:** March 13, 2009, 16:25:01 »

This is why i cannot understand some allotment committees and councils banning sheds from allotments,
What with the current fashion for being green, to me it makes more sense harvesting as much rain water as you can. Having only installed a large water butt in october last year, it has already collected 900 litres of rain water, from a shed roof of about 8' by 4'. Before i had this water butt i used a hose pipe. The difference between rain water and fresh was amazing, the plants loved the rain water but seemed to slow down in growth when fresh was used.

the-goodlife · « **Reply #34 on:** March 15, 2009, 16:48:51 »

i have some 1000ltr tanks and harvest the rain as much as i can as well as other butts at the side of the green house, glad we dont have mains as some of you lucky folk as it keeps the rent down only £13 this year :P

Lottie103 · « **Reply #35 on:** March 15, 2009, 17:02:48 »

We have taps at intervals down the avenues & I've not encountered the `rules' for use yet - but then we've not had a growing season on the plot yet ::). We are lucky enough to have a tap just outside of the plot & water has been available all winter. We pay £7 a year but haven't used it except for drinking between the digging. We have a number of troughs / butts so hope to be able just to use those.

Tee Gee · « **Reply #36 on:** March 15, 2009, 17:13:44 »

Quote

What you think about washing out greenhouse with water from butts?

Basically I see no problem with this as any disease / pest that comes out with the water will die off when the surfaces dry off (evaporate)

You could add a cleaning agent to it e.g. bleach and this will clean the greehouse and kill the unwelcome stuff.

I don't have the problem because we have no restrictions although I heard rumours last year that there were moves afoot to restrict restrict and or charge us on amounts used.

Needless to say none of us are making any moves to find out in case it reminds the council.

So its no news is good news with us!

artichoke · « **Reply #37 on:** March 16, 2009, 18:33:00 »

I set up a hose syphon as I am some way downhill from the tank on a sloping site, and it wears me out plodding up and down the hill with a can, though I do that as well.

I never leave it running when I am not there; the tank refills as I empty it, and anyone who likes can dip their can in the tank without any problem while the syphon is running. The cost of the water is in our site fees (£44 per whole plot, £22 per half, and I have two halves).

I have never seen anyone else setting up a syphon, but some open the tank cover and attach their hose to the automatic filler, which I think is going a bit far, as they are then monopolising the tank, and it cannot refill.

I agree we should be encouraged to collect water.....I have a bath that fills up when it rains, but no other system so I feel a bit guilty. Also rainwater is better for the plants than expensively treated drinking water.

Pink Fingers · « **Reply #38 on:** March 18, 2009, 18:25:35 »

Water available on an allotment - what a great idea.

We have no taps, troughs or shed roofs, so if we want water, it's a stroll through to the otherside of the cemetery.

artichoke · « **Reply #39 on:** March 18, 2009, 19:14:56 »

No water on one of my allotments too. Starting to take up large milk bottles of it every time I go, in anticipation of a drought. On the other two we have the dip tanks and hoses etc.

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Author Topic: What are your allotment rules on water? (Read 9932 times)