Why do we collect rainwater!?

Question

OK silly question.... in the UK as soon as we get a bit of sun we are told to stop using water and all go out and buy water butts to collect water for the drought in the summer when the water companies say the resevoirs are empty...

Surely everyone using water buts each person is then stopping over 100 litres of rainwater from going back in the ground and back to the resevoirs....

So if everyone stopped collecting rainwater all our resevoirs would be full...... then we wouldn't have any drought and we could all use our hosepipes!!

Answer 1

Well in NZ they have water but that's only becuase I'm near Big hills. but the reason why they collect rain water is because not all of the water makes it into reservoirs like 70% of it is being drifted away.

cnhagenow

Answer 2

There is a lot of run off, the water does not make it to ground but run off into the river and to the ocean.  Collecting a bit of rain water to use when the drought comes sounds like a good idea to me. We dont do much of there here in the colonies (USA) smile

Answer 3

Would you believe there was an article in our local paper this week that our streams are too empty because of the recent sunshine and if we don't get some rain soon there will be a drought!!  The best part is I live in the Lake District!!!  and .....  It's raining!!!!

(for those who don't know the Lakes, it's always raining)

Answer 4

You are right in a way but the aim is to make people aware that they need to use their own source, which in turn makes people stingy and thus, resourceful, and then, wiser about wastage. :)

Answer 5

The water a water butt collects comes off your roof, which would otherwise go into the drains, and thence the sewers, to the sea. It wouldn't do any good anywhere other than th barrel.

Answer 6

well u have a good point but instead off this u sould stop unncessary water wasstage,

Answer 7

move to Scotland.   we have so much water we even put it in our whiskey to use it up.

Answer 8

what an excellent idea, i never thought of it like that before, you should get a job in enviromental issuses !! ps my rain butt is full too !

Answer 9

Good point! i hadn't thought of it like that before!

BAN THE BUTT!

Answer 10

The reservoirs are meant to be full at the mo, which is why there is no ban... and although you make a fantastic point, 100 liters is really not that much water in the big picture hun!

Answer 11

where do you thank water comes from to start with, it is the rain and snow or recycled and the run off are directed to the reservoirs for treatment of contamination, of birds fish animals and human waste, then it is piped to the homes.

Answer 12

actually where you live you have to be below the resevoir level or you would never get any water from it.but i see your point