Saving the rainy days
South Ward Councillor Brett Jones harvests water at his home in Amberley.
Water harvesting doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, and your plants will love it.
Nick Gill from Broomfield is a massive fan, he and his wife Angela Clifford have been storing their rainwater since 2006.
Like any great project, it started off small.
They started off using water butts (plastic containers) to collect rainwater off the roof which they use to water indoor plants and pot plants.
For this family of five, the scale of water harvesting has increased as opportunities have arisen, they now water seedlings with rainwater as much as they can.
Gill grew up on a farm in South Australia, where water in pipes comes a long way from the river, is highly treated, and expensive.
He said rainwater collection is a way of life there. All roofs have gutters and down pipes going to tanks, and if a tank overflows then the aim is to eventually get another tank.
“I guess like many people, both rural and urban, we’ve realised factors like a changing climate and rising energy prices means anything we can do to move along the continuum of reducing external inputs for our place, increases our resilience.”
Hurunui District Council (HDC) will be running some public workshops about water harvesting next month in Hanmer Springs and Amberley, with expert panelists (including Nick Gill) discussing the details, followed by a Q&A opportunity with attendees.
Gill encouraged anyone to give water harvesting a go, admitting the first step can be the hardest, and starting with something small and achievable works best.
“Get a small drum or tank under a down pipe and start harvesting, it’s really easy to utilise this for plants and gardens.”
He added that it’s important to make sure the overflow from the harvesting tank is managed correctly to avoid surface flooding. And to also be careful with children and pets when using open-top tanks.
With water conservation in mind, South Ward Councillor Brett Jones began harvesting rainwater into a 1000 litre tank at his family home in Amberley five years ago.
“We use it for watering the vegetable garden,” he said.
Cr Jones highly recommends water harvesting for anyone in Hurunui, and it can be economical too. The tank was purchased for $100.00, and it was a very easy install for $50.00.
“We just feel that reusing resources is a small thing for us to do.”
HDC’s Emergency Management Officer Allan Grigg is looking forward to having discussions about the importance of extra water at home for times of emergency.
“Water supplies can be cut off for a number of reasons, not just major earthquakes and fires, and it’s great peace of mind to have extra water at home to have a wash, or fill your pet’s water bowl.”
He added that water harvesting should be on top of the standard three litres of potable water per person per day every household should store as part of the emergency kit.
“And remember, for those hot dry summers, which we still do get some years, self-sufficiency is key to maintain upkeep of your outdoor area when water restrictions are imposed,” he said.
Public workshop dates:
Monday 11 May, Hanmer Springs, Service Centre and Library, 3pm and 6.30pm.
Thursday 14 May, Amberley, Council chambers, 3pm and 6.30pm.
