A dry old Xmas.

cg74 · Nov 16, 2011

Little or no surprise really but I can't help thinking its more a misuse issue (poor management of a natural resource) than just being due to high consumer (public not industry) demand and low rainfall: 'Winter drought' could mean hosepipe bans next year - Telegraph

Why do the EA let the aquifers be bled dry in the south and midlands to irrigate crops such as potatoes, when Scotland and nothern England offer a far more naturally suitable environment.

This line in the article did bring a wry smile: "Farmers are also irrigating at night time to reduce the amount of water evaporating and prevent restrictions being brought in."

Rather a token gesture I say!?!!

Bob Hornegold · Nov 16, 2011

Colin,

It all comes down too Money !!

Too many people, using too much water.

Put every home on a meter and see how much you save ?

Moving water from North to South, would cost a fortune ( it's heavy stuff ) and No Private company is going to pick up the bill unless a Goverment help pay for it ( which ain't going to happen ) unless we get into a servere drought situation ?

Bob

Alan Tyler · Nov 16, 2011

Funny, the ancients managed to drain East Anglia using wind"mills"; but although we're busy using turbines to generate electricity, no-one seems to be considering using wind-pumps to shift water back up our rivers and canals so we can have both the water and the energy a second time.

Tee-Cee · Nov 16, 2011

Hands up all those who put bricks (or similar) in the cystern to reduce water loss at every flush OR those who don't flush EVERY time you just go for a 'jimmy riddle' ??

Think how much water is wasted................

We have six water butts in our garden (we neeed that many to allow for 'dry' periods!) as this is the only way we can justify the amount of water needed to feed our veg and plants.
We have a meter (really miffed when it was fitted!) BUT now I can see its value- if for nothing else it certainly makes you think about usage!!

tigger · Nov 16, 2011

IMO it's nothing to do with the consumer wasting water (or at least not a lot), it's more the water companies leaving bursts etc. The biggest problem is the fact that there has been no increase in reservoires but a massive increase in demand ( mainly by all the firkin immigrants). How on earth can they expect the very same water reserves to stand up to so many extra people consuming the stuff ?

Jeff Woodhouse · Nov 16, 2011

Ignoring the bit about immigrants (if you don't mind) it is said that there is as much water lost through burst mains in London that is equal to the flow of the Thames at Maidenhead in a normal flow; eg: approx. 40 million gallons per day.

Warning: this could be just one of those figures spouted out (and I've not helped), but it would be interesting to see if it could be accurately calculated.

Titus · Nov 16, 2011

As well as theire being 10,000,000 more people in the country than there was when I was a lad our water usage has changed beyond recognition. As a lad we had a bath once a week (usualy on a Friday night) and because of the cost to heat it it was common for several members of the family to use the same water. wash day was a monday and the washing would be done whites first then coloureds then work clothes, often in the same water, if we owned a family car it would be washed with a bucket and sponge and all waste water would end up on the garden or used to swill down paths.
These days we shower every day, sometimes twice, put the washing machine on to wash a few scraps of clothes, wash our cars every week (or pay an imigrant to do it) and wash our drives and patios with a power washer; And then we moan because the rivers are running dry.......We're all doomed I tell you.......

gazguildford · Nov 16, 2011

Titus said:
These days we shower every day, sometimes twice, put the washing machine on to wash a few scraps of clothes,QUOTE]

unless your a teenager or a student ..... sorry it had to be said

Titus · Nov 16, 2011

Or a carper.

Tee-Cee · Nov 16, 2011

I absolutely agree about the amount of water lost via leaks etc and more could be done by the hughly profitable Water companies BUT on the basis that 'two wrongs don't make a right' we can all do our bit in trying to save water where we can.....Every little helps, as they say!

Whats the answer, build more reservoirs, flood more valleys or make the water companies spend more on repairs............Easier said than done I imagine otherwise it would've been done already I guess.

chub_on_the_block · Nov 16, 2011

I think we need mixed showers in workplaces*, community centres* etc to help save water. I understand that trialling at Glastonbury has proved them to be very popular.

* depending upon local composition

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Nov 16, 2011

Well it wont be adry Christmas (I dont do Xmas) at Furkum Hall - port stocks are up

And I do my bit for saving water - I don't drink the stuff - think howmuch we could save if we all stopped drinking bottled water and drank beer instead - I'm already saving 6 pints tonight

tigger · Nov 16, 2011

Jeff Woodhouse said:
Ignoring the bit about immigrants (if you don't mind) it is said that there is as much water lost through burst mains in London that is equal to the flow of the Thames at Maidenhead in a normal flow; eg: approx. 40 million gallons per day.

Warning: this could be just one of those figures spouted out (and I've not helped), but it would be interesting to see if it could be accurately calculated.

Why, what on earth is wrong with the actual fact about immigrants consuming water...can't we even say that word now FFS...

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Nov 16, 2011

tigger said:
Why, what on earth is wrong with the actual fact about immigrants consuming water...can't we even say that word now FFS...

True but do they still walk 5 miles a day to get it?

tigger · Nov 16, 2011

Lord Paul of Sheffield said:
True but do they still walk 5 miles a day to get it?

Ha, Ha,Ha ...yeah but they drink more after sweating during the walk :w

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Nov 16, 2011

They should just move 5 miles nearer the water - that's something I've figured out and I'm pi$$ed most of the time

MarkTheSpark · Nov 16, 2011

Tee-Cee said:
I absolutely agree about the amount of water lost via leaks etc and more could be done by the hughly profitable Water companies BUT on the basis that 'two wrongs don't make a right' we can all do our bit in trying to save water where we can.....Every little helps, as they say!

Whats the answer, build more reservoirs, flood more valleys or make the water companies spend more on repairs............Easier said than done I imagine otherwise it would've been done already I guess.

We could start by making rainwater harvesting a building standard. It's ridiculous that we flush our turds with drinking water, or wash our clothes with it. That's half your water bill right there. Not as if it's complicated - its some pipework, a tank and a pump.

tigger · Nov 16, 2011

Lord Paul of Sheffield said:
They should just move 5 miles nearer the water - that's something I've figured out and I'm pi$$ed most of the time

Yeah, or better still they could just sod off back home

chub_on_the_block · Nov 16, 2011

Perhaps we need some genetically modified fish capable of tolerating low flows and drying. Perhaps cross a few carp with some of those mudskippers. Could herald some new tactics like floats with wheels on them?. Just brain-storming.

More seriously - the rainwater harvesting is an excellent idea. Unfortunately i think the space/size of tank needed would be too large for most properties, especially since gardens/space gets smaller and smaller as time goes by. It is almost as though self sufficiency options are being whittled away - there was a time when gardens were large enough to grow your own veg and still have a lawn. The overcrowded new estates and the excessive abstraction from groundwaters/rivers are of course related - we are an overcrowded island and with unsustainable levels of population growth - especially here in the SE where you need a very wet year for the rivers to flow at long-term average levels of flow.

terry m · Nov 17, 2011

Tee-Cee said:
Hands up all those who put bricks (or similar) in the cystern to reduce water loss at every flush OR those who don't flush EVERY time you just go for a 'jimmy riddle' ??

Think how much water is wasted................

We have six water butts in our garden (we neeed that many to allow for 'dry' periods!) as this is the only way we can justify the amount of water needed to feed our veg and plants.
We have a meter (really miffed when it was fitted!) BUT now I can see its value- if for nothing else it certainly makes you think about usage!!

Good post and reflects my experience exactly.

Many people are afraid of the water meter concept, whatever your standpoint I can guarantee that wastage is either eliminated or reduced to an absolute minimum.

A dry old Xmas.

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