Author Topic: Using A Hose Pipe On The Allotment..... (Read 15863 times)

Svea · « **Reply #20 on:** August 06, 2006, 21:27:20 »

just to make a point about the lack of water, i have a rainfall measure on the allotment, been taking readings all summer.
i can now reveal *drumroll*

our total july rainfall was 17.5mm. that's right, 17.5mm
by rights and averages, we should have had 59.6mm (london average). that's only 30% of the rain we should have received.

still, we soldier on without watering much at all. been out today to put more cardboard down on the exposed bits of soil, to keep the cracks in the soil from reaching australia

Money_Bunny · « **Reply #21 on:** August 06, 2006, 22:49:08 »

My mum had quite a long and hard fight to get a water meter installed in her flat.

Northumbrian water weren't too keen on fitting one but she persevered since she knows her water bills will be low............makes sense to me since she actually lives in Cyprus and is only here for around 12 weeks a year!

I'd be more than willing to have a water meter fitted.

Crusher · « **Reply #22 on:** August 06, 2006, 22:53:28 »

with regards Water Meters, there are 5 of us in our house, and we have a 180ft garden which is very well stocked. One bathroom and one ensuite. Any one have similar and can tell me what the average bill is for having a meter. I am more than happy to have one as long as it is a cost benefit for me...

supersprout · « **Reply #23 on:** August 07, 2006, 01:16:26 »

Hey crusher, a few minutes here will give you a feel for whether it's going to be worthwhile:
http://www.uswitch.com/Water/Switching-Guide.html
:)

baggieboy · « **Reply #24 on:** August 07, 2006, 01:41:59 »

I think we are just a scapegoat for the big water companies . My water supplier is Seven Trent and they are the worst culprits for 'Wasting Water'. The number of pipe bursts/leakages that they leave for months on end is Scary.

There water wastage is far worse than any average family who are forced to foot the bill.

moonbells · « **Reply #25 on:** August 07, 2006, 11:46:48 »

Quote from: Svea on August 06, 2006, 21:27:20

just to make a point about the lack of water, i have a rainfall measure on the allotment, been taking readings all summer.
i can now reveal *drumroll*

our total july rainfall was 17.5mm. that's right, 17.5mm
by rights and averages, we should have had 59.6mm (london average). that's only 30% of the rain we should have received.

I have one of those too. Neat little things. I've kept a graphical measure since spring, and we've actually not done too badly in the Chilterns in July (137%), though June was dismal (9%). May was 129%.

moonbells

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #26 on:** August 07, 2006, 14:22:27 »

Did you get one of those thunderstorms that did such a good job of missing us?

moonbells · « **Reply #27 on:** August 07, 2006, 15:46:37 »

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on August 07, 2006, 14:22:27

Did you get one of those thunderstorms that did such a good job of missing us?

Oh yes! 28mm in half an hour... not counting the drops which splashed out of the gauge... was pretty impressive (local flash flooding too, and 2' of water in some streets). Briefly we got the river back! Following day we got another (shorter) one with hail and another 10mm rain, then another 4.5mm later on in the evening.

I dug some spuds between the last two and the soil was wet to 8". I was impressed. Haven't been to water since!

moonbells

Crusher · « **Reply #28 on:** August 07, 2006, 16:37:13 »

tried out the USWITCH site and basically being totally honest with my current water consumption I am better off not having a water meter....!

tlc · « **Reply #29 on:** August 07, 2006, 19:56:43 »

I was a bit puzzled by the 'don't use a hosepipe on my allotment' comment too as we are in Three Valleys and they do allow hosepipes on allotments. I had wrongly assumed that all the water companies with a hosepipe ban (as opposed to a drought order) allowed hosepipes on alloments.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #30 on:** August 07, 2006, 20:25:26 »

We've got no hosepipe ban as far as the water company are concerned, but the council are threatening to evict anyone caught using a hosepipe to water their allotment. Crazy!

Svea · « **Reply #31 on:** August 07, 2006, 21:30:15 »

moonbells, not sure how much good it does if you receive your 130% of rain all in one go :/

i have only been able to take readings since the beginning of july, when i got the measure.

i read them once a day, in the evening. and then empty them if there was anything.
this morning, another 1 mm was had *sigh* i guess we should be grateful for every little bit.....

moonbells · « **Reply #32 on:** August 09, 2006, 10:07:26 »

Svea - yes, that did bother me, but we only got half that in one go ::) and when I went up after the first two deluges, the soil was wet down to potato depth so it definitely went in.

Soil here is very freely draining and chalky and stony; turns to dust in summer. So it does tend to soak up rain very quickly rather than run off.

I am optimistic!

Gentle drizzle as I left for work so here's hoping it keeps it up all day.

moonbells

artichoke · « **Reply #33 on:** August 09, 2006, 13:47:14 »

<< We've got no hosepipe ban as far as the water company are concerned, but the council are threatening to evict anyone caught using a hosepipe to water their allotment. Crazy! >>

That's a bit scary. I've mentioned elsewhere that I use a hosepipe syphon from water tank down to my plot. No-one has commented on it yet (field usually empty) but I do somehow feel awkward as I use it. Even though Southern Water specifically say on their site that hosepipes are allowed on allotments.

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