The dry summers of recent years have made rainwater collection more than just a green gesture; it is genuinely useful. Plants prefer soft rainwater to hard tap water, and a butt or two means your garden keeps going even under a hosepipe ban.
Fitting one to a downpipe
Most water butts connect to a downpipe with a simple diverter kit that fits in a few minutes. You cut a section out of the pipe and clip the diverter in, so rain flows into the butt and any overflow runs on down the drain as usual.
Position it well
Stand the butt on a firm, level base, raised up on blocks or a stand so you can fit a watering can under the tap. A full butt is surprisingly heavy, so the base needs to be solid and stable.
- Raise it high enough to fill a can easily.
- Link two or more butts to catch more water.
- Fit a lid to keep out leaves, debris and mosquitoes.
Catch more, store more
A single roof can shed thousands of litres over a wet winter. Connecting two or three butts together with a length of pipe near the top lets one overflow into the next, so you store far more for the dry spells ahead.
Keep it healthy
Rainwater stored in the dark stays fine for the garden, though it should not be drunk. A lid keeps it clean and stops algae, and emptying and rinsing the butt once a year keeps the water sweet and the tap from clogging.