With some much-needed rain in the last few weeks, mixed with spells of dry and warmer weather, United Utilities is reminding those with green fingers about the benefits of water butts.
Water butts are an easy way to harness rainwater and help users save money on their water bills. They also play a useful role in reducing demand on mains water supplies especially in dry spells.
During the last two years United Utilities has provided more than 1,600 water butts to customers, community groups, schools and allotments to help them become more water efficient.
Together the water butts have a capacity of more than 344,000 litres of rainwater at any one time and play a key role in helping to keep the region’s gardens and vegetable patches flourishing.
Katy Bevan from United Utilities’ Rainwater Management team explained: “A typical house roof gathers around 30,000 litres of rainwater every year – that’s equivalent to 300 bathtubs of water. A water butt is a great way to stop that from running away down the drain and collect it for use in the garden.
“As well as saving users money, rainwater is known to be the best option for plant growth and nourishment.”
The lack of rainfall this year has led to lower than usual reservoir levels with regional reservoir levels being 65% full, compared to over 90% this time last year.
Katy Bevan added: “With periods of intermittent rain upon us, now really is the perfect time to install a water butt to collect and store a supply of lovely, free rainwater ready to use when the weather turns dry again.”
Water butts also play a useful role in diverting water away from the sewer system which can help reduce the risk of surface water flooding and sewer overflows during periods of heavy rainfall.
United Utilities has been working on rainwater management projects across the North West. One particular project in Staveley has seen more than 250 households supplied with slow-release water butts capable of storing more than 51,000 litres of water any at time.
United Utilities has a range of tips on how to save water in the garden online and customers also have access to discounted water butts which can be ordered here: savewatersavemoney.co.uk/products/garden
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