Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: cacran on March 10, 2009, 16:53:06
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Our allotment has water. The ain tap is by the gate then each plot has it's own tap. When we have finished using the water we have to turn it off at both taps. I think that is fair so don't have a problem.
When I got the allotment the water was on all year, not that I use it much as I have plenty of water butts. Last year when I wanted to wash out my greenhouse, on May day holiday, the water was off,even at the main gate tap. I asked the woman who collects the rent and she said that she didn't know why and that perhaps this guy who had fixed a leak during winter had turned it off at the mains. She said she did not know where the mains was and that the guy had gone away. She promised she would look into it. On his return she confirmed that it had been off at the mains and he had a special key to turn it on. Sounds to me as though he is self appointed at taking charge of the water.
Today I decided to clean out my greenhouse ready to sow some seeds. Same scenario............. I saw the woman who said that the same guy was turning it off during the winter months and only turning it back on at Easter. I said that was fine but I hadn't been told that. She said it was not up to her to tell everyone that that was whathad been decided. She said that people wash out their greenhouses from water from water butts. Is it safe to do that, will the bugs be killed that way?
Just want a few views as I am cross. Incidentaly this woman seems to tell every plot holder everybodies business but fails to give us any proper news. >:(
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We don't have taps. There are water butts (with ballcocks) on or near most plots, so you dunk your can in. No hosepipes allowed, as we are metered.
The water is normally turned off during the winter. At the weekend, I did a test run by turning it on and checking for leaks, then in the next week or two it will go on permanently. But we have an automatic timer, which turns it on in the morning and off in the evening. If necessary, we can over-ride it. (Several of the Committee have keys to the box.)
Seems to work. (Except when someone puts their spade through the pipe!!)
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I know we are lucky to have taps. The problem is that it is a privately run allotment. The only person who has any contact with the owner is this particular woman. She is the one who tells us what the rent/ water rates are. Ours is on a meter too, or so I am to believe. This guy who has taken charge of the water seems to have his own rules. We have a rule that says the main gate has to be kept locked at all times. It seems that it is except when this guy is at the allotment, he leaves it open for his convenience, He shouted at me when I went through it one day and tried to lock it behind me, funny though, he never saw me come back through. He is the only one who as been burgled so what he is thinking I do not know. Some of the oldies ar a pain in the proverbial!!!
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We dont have water at our site, apart from what i can collect in the water butt (1000 litre IBC) from the shed roof. We put the IBC on the plot in october last year and its already holding 900 litres from a shed roof 8' by 4'. But then we dont have much of anything here. We rent straight from the council and are left to get on with it.
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We have taps, on a timer..any committee can override it. :)
Can use hoses but not sprinklers.. :-X
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We have taps around one site, though there are troughs and most people have water butts. The water is unmetered and switched off October till April.
On our other site, smaller council run we have two taps between the eight plots. Water is on all the year round and is unmetered.
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We have taps but we cannot use hoses
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What you think about washing out greenhouse with water from butts?
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We have taps, above metal water butts, all around the site - one for every 6 or so plots. We can use hoses but are urged not to waste water. The supply is turned off over the winter. Most people have their own water butts as well.
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Most people i know with greenhouses use jayes fluid to clean it with. If the waterbutt is covered i.e not a lot of cr@p floating in it, i would use it mixed with the jayes and give it a good scrub
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No taps on our site (not that I've found anyhow), just some rather skanky troughs. Removed a load of algae from one of them last year but its grown back with a vengeance!
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?!
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We have taps all over the allotment but not at each plot just the main paths. Hoses are not meant to be used.
Water is turned off in October and they let us know two weeks before it was turned off to give us time to fill the water butts.
Neil
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At least they let you know things, Nilly. My main beef is that I was not told about this new system. Gossip is rife at the lottie, but information, not.
When is the water switched back on then?
Ours will not be on until Easter which is April and I wanted to get all my seeds planted in my clean greenhouse. Don't think that is unreasonable., do you?
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Spudley, I have no problem with using the water with the Jeyes fluid to wash it down, but I thought it had to then be rinsed off with clean water. Is this right or do you just leave the Jeyes on to dry?
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We have no mains water. We have cast-iron hand pumps that we sink ourselves to tap into the water table. We have approx. 1 pump per 10 plots, The pumps are taken off before the first hard frost and go on again after the risk of hard frosts has passed. Obviously no hosepipes so we water our plots by pumping to fill our watering cans as many times as it takes. Keeps you fit and no wasted water.
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We use BST to decide when the water is on... it lengthens the evenings so people are on the site doing things after work so need the water... :-\
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Hi Cacran,
Think it would be best to rinse with clean. No help i know if you have none on site.
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Our site is owned by the Council and self-managed by us. We have 12 taps around the site so each plot has easy access. We are only allowed (by the Council) to use the water to fill water butts, we can't water the plot with a hose or use a sprinkler. The water is metered.
Most plotholders stick to the rules but I know that some of them come in the evenings and use a hose.
We used to turn off the water during the winter to prevent the pipes from freezing up but since we had all our metal pipes stolen (!) and replaced by plastic, this doesn't seem to be a problem any more.
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We have 5 water tanks (each with a tap on the side) plus 2 standpipes. This serves 53 plots.
The use of a hose is allowed so long as a person is in attendance ... 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.
Plot holders are obviously encouraged to be frugal in their use of water, which is metered.
The water is on from mid-March to mid-October (roughly).
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We have taps scattered round the lane. The Council has been complaining about the cost, as it's metered, and bans hosepipes except to fill water containers. The rule is widely ignored.
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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 ?
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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!
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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.
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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 :-\.
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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!
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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
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As a Treasurer I suggest you send him the water bill........ ::)
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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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Luckily, we seem to get away with it. I only watered once last year and that was to settle in some new cabbage plants.
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there are a number of water tanks with taps on at our council run site. this year we have been sent a letter telling us that every plot will now have to pay £5 per year for water which i think is a bit steep, we already pay £25 for the plot. we have several water butts so don't use the tanks very often. i think now i'm being charged i will be more likely to get the hose pipe out and get my money's worth! >:(
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The very first allotment I ever had had taps on i think there were 3 to 4 taps on the site but not sure how many allotments there were but hosepipes were allowed and as far as I know it wasn't metered.
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I would happily pay another £20 a year to have clean water on site, just so we had somewhere to wash hands and clean cups, cutlery and seed trays, even if you couldnt attach a hose to the tap.
Am thinking of getting one of these large capacity water carriers for caravanners http://www.aquaroll.com/english/aquaroll.html
but they are not cheap. It is my birthday coming up soon though.. It would have to be rolled about half a mile each way to be filled up, unless I can bribe someone in a nearby house with the promise of free veg!
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The very first allotment I ever had had taps on i think there were 3 to 4 taps on the site but not sure how many allotments there were but hosepipes were allowed and as far as I know it wasn't metered.
I think I paid £13 per yr but that was 10 yr ago