PETER Leeming is quite right in what he says about updating building regulations (Letters, May 16, 'Building regs need changes') but has missed another aspect where the regulations should be improved.

All new properties should have a rainwater harvesting system installed, thereby channelling all the rainwater from the roof into a storage tank and using that water to flush toilets, supply any outside taps and the cloths washing machine.

With our system at home we purchase 45 litres of water per person daily from United Utilities. That is one third of what a typical person uses.

Not only does this save us nearly 100 litres of water per person per day, which is pertinent when we are ever more threatened with water shortages due to dryer summers and being over populated.

It also means that United Utilities does not have to waste money and whatever cost there is to the planet on treating that vast amount of water that we don't buy from them.

Also if our tank is half full and there is a cloudburst, an ever more common occurrence, it will absorb 2,500 litres before any water goes into the drains and consequently into the river system to fuel a flood.

Robert Wilson

Kendal