April 2006
Save Water, Save the Environment
In the UK an ever growing population and changing climate means
water resources are under increasing pressure. Recent reports
suggest a serious problem in the South East following a very dry
winter and we’re all under pressure to think about how much water
we’re using and how much we can save. We all know we can reduce
consumption quite simply – fix leaks, don’t leave the tap running,
don’t water our gardens or clean the car, and shower instead of
taking a bath. But during the warm summer months most of us are
guilty of using too much water for tasks like watering our lawns
and gardens, and while we all want our homes to look good, this
puts an enormous strain on local water supplies.
So why not consider collecting and using rainwater? This isn’t a
new idea. Rainwater harvesting began over 4,000 years ago in the
Middle East where runoff was collected in ditches for crop
irrigation. Ancient Romans collected rainwater in underground
cisterns and interior pools where it evaporated and cooled their
homes, and today people all around the world still rely on
harvesting water for irrigation and domestic needs.
Leading garden hard landscaping manufacturer Bradstone has
developed an ingenious rainwater harvesting system meaning you can
collect and reuse rainwater for non-drinkable uses, like watering
the garden and flushing the toilet. The system works by collecting
and storing rainwater under a patio. The water runs through the
paving joints, through drainage channels or off your roof into
toughened, loadbearing plastic cells which are wrapped in a
water-tight membrane after being filtered through a geotextile
membrane. The water can then be pumped out of the storage tank and
reused.
The surface can be any Bradstone paving ideally laid on a
bedding aggregate with large enough joints to brush in decorative
stones as an infill. If you opt for conventionally pointed paving,
the system can be used to collect water from downpipes or drainage
channels.
Once installed, the system is easy to look after. It will need
cleaning at least once every twelve months and the number and depth
of the cells can be tailored to suit individual requirements. There
is an inbuilt overflow system and if there is too little water the
system can dry up without harm.
Marketing Manager for Bradstone, Paul Wagstaff, says, “This
drainage system is already used in a commercial setting and is
proving very popular for providing a solution to surplus surface
water. In a domestic setting, this provides a sensible solution for
rainfall runoff as well as giving people the opportunity to reuse
water and, of course, save money.”