bodger
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As promisedI've been up to my mates house tonight to return the Cambridge Roller that I borrowed for yesterdays reseeding.
This mate is the member known as Hawkeye.
Hawky as we can call him,  has a thirsty household, in as much as he has five people and two poly tunnels to quench.
What he's done, is to implement a number of water saving measures. He's collected as many water containers as he can and captures as much rain water and utilises it in the house but mainly for his vegetable growing enterprise.
Here are a series of pictures to explain the system he has devised. Its simple but very effective.
In this shot, the water comes directly from the roof and into the square container. Its contents are used to service the toilets in the house. The water is fed into the system by gravity and is controlled by a ball cock. During fine and dry weather when the water from the roof is not sufficient the water is replenished with stored water via an electric pump.
These are just a fraction of the water containers that are dotted strategicallyaround the property harvesting rainwater from the outbuildings. By using a submersible electric pump the water is moved around the property as and when required. Heres the proud owner and inventor.
Heres the small poly with its own water supply followed by the other huge one he has.
Inside the big poly are yet more water containers. These have come from farmers merchants and once contained some form of animal feed supplement.
By a system of plastic piping and pumps the water is shipped readily all over the property to where its needed.
Hawkeyes water supply is metered , so obviously the saving he is making on his water charges is immense.
Perhaps its a system thats not for everyone, but money is money and we can all consider implementing some of these water recycling measures.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say and here are some pictures of whats happening in the poly . 
Runner Beans
and whatever !
Bodge . Your Downsizer roving reporter.
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Chez
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Fantastic system. Various ebay people sell those big square containers - I have a long term plan that involves a couple of them for storage for the garden ...
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dpack
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ace but i fear the one on the roof will be far too heavey to be safe
more than a bit too heavey ,lots too heavey
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bodger
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They have a high pooping rate which exposentially ( is there such a word ) saves them from STRCI syndrome
Suddenly The Roof Caves In 
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CARROTMUNCHER
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although its not a bad system in therory it make the house look like a junk yard.i wouldnt want that attached to my house there must be better ways than this.
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bodger
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You're just too posh ! 
Its not just a good system in theory its a good system in practice as well. This is a working smallholding.
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Rob R
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I echo klaus' concerns- you don't see many flat roofs capable of holding a tonne
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bodger
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Hawkeye works as a roofer and actually put the roof on himself, he knows what has gone into it and is very confident that its safe. 
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crofter
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I notice he has also put battens under the tank to spread the load. If he built the roof and is happy living below it, fair enough, but I agree it looks a bit dodgy!
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Rob R
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The thing that would really concern me is what it means for insurance...
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CARROTMUNCHER
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| bodger wrote: | You're just too posh !
Its not just a good system in theory its a good system in practice as well. This is a working smallholding. |
no i am not to posh.
it looks unsightly and dangerous and i wouldnt want my house looking like the dingles  what happens if the is a hard frost and the water freezes.It would come through the roof.
All im saying is there must be a better way.
sorry forgot to mention the poly tunnels which look fab. 
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bodger
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Perhaps you could come up with a few suggestions Carrot Muncher , rather than knocking a working mans efforts to make ends meet. He certainly couldn't keep his Polytunnels watered and his crops growing on his budget without this system.
I didn't for a minute envisage this sort of criticism of the mans efforts. I'm fairly sure that I understand where you are coming from, however I'm quite happy that most people who have read this article have taken a favourable view of my friends efforts.
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Rob R
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| CARROTMUNCHER wrote: | what happens if the is a hard frost and the water freezes.It would come through the roof.
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Why, what changes when it freezes? 
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crofter
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Ice might burst a pipe, all the water might leak out of the tank onto the roof (?) Presumably the roof is watertight though. I would be more worried about the fact there could be a tonne of water directly above me as I washed the dishes, in fact, I would be inclined to WASTE a lot of water washing dishes, to reduce the volume stored above my head!
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Rob R
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What is he trying to flush away?? 
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CARROTMUNCHER
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| Rob R wrote: | | CARROTMUNCHER wrote: | what happens if the is a hard frost and the water freezes.It would come through the roof.
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Why, what changes when it freezes? |
ice is heavier than water.
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Rob R
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| CARROTMUNCHER wrote: |
ice is heavier than water. |
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CARROTMUNCHER
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| bodger wrote: |
I didn't for a minute envisage this sort of criticism of the mans efforts.
The idea is a good one.I am not saying it isnt.There must be a better way though of projecting the idea with out making the place look like a junk yard.
I'm fairly sure that I understand where you are coming from, however
Dont read to much in to this as you are wrong.this is a completly different forum It has nothing to do with anythink else.
I'm quite happy that most people who have read this article have taken a favourable view of my friends efforts. |
And so they should its not a bad idea.I think wind power is a good idea also but i wouldnt have a massive turrbine in my back garden would i.
How it is put up looks unsightly and dangerous i am not the only one to voice these concerns.
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CARROTMUNCHER
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| Rob R wrote: | | CARROTMUNCHER wrote: |
ice is heavier than water. |
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you knew what i ment
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Rob R
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Sorry, couldn't resist
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pricey
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| CARROTMUNCHER wrote: | | Rob R wrote: | | CARROTMUNCHER wrote: | what happens if the is a hard frost and the water freezes.It would come through the roof.
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Why, what changes when it freezes? |
ice is heavier than water. |
Sorry but why does ice float then?
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Rob R
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| Quote: | | Ice floats because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. |
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pricey
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Sorry forgot to say it looks a very good system, similar to ours in Portugal, but our tanks are concrete.
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bodger
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It's been up and running for four years without a hitch and with hugely reduced water charges.
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
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pricey
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| bodger wrote: | It's been up and running for four years without a hitch and with hugely reduced water charges.
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. |
Drink that sounds good to me large scotch please
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CARROTMUNCHER
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| bodger wrote: | It's been up and running for four years without a hitch and with hugely reduced water charges.
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. |
i should imagen it would reduce house prices aswell.
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Nick
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| CARROTMUNCHER wrote: | | Rob R wrote: | | CARROTMUNCHER wrote: | what happens if the is a hard frost and the water freezes.It would come through the roof.
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Why, what changes when it freezes? |
ice is heavier than water. |
Which is why it sinks, right?
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Cho-ku-ri
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Like Grand Designs he could feed all his grey water to an underground tank.
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Rob R
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| Cho-ku-ri wrote: | | Like Grand Designs he could feed all his grey water to an underground tank. |
True, though I think the idea of having it on the roof is so that you don't have to rely on pumps to give you the pressure, so it'll be cheaper to run. We're looking at a similar thing for the livestock buildings.
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bodger
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CKR
He pumps the grey water to a holding tank in one of the polytunnels. You should smell it in the summer months.
It saves him money but could also lose him friends.
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bodger
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The poly tunnel seems to be flourishing on the free water. Its certainly changed a bit.
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