Hey everyone! I'm new to gardening and recently got an unexpected water bill of £814 for 6 months, showing 104 cubic meters of water used. I've set up a smart irrigation system that only waters for 10 minutes a day and has a weather delay feature that pauses it for 2 days if it rains. I'm concerned if I'm doing something wrong. Is my water usage typical for someone who just started a garden?
3 Answers
From what you've shared, that does sound like a lot of water! For the average UK household, the usage is around 450 liters per day for four people, so you're using about 500+ liters daily just for your garden. Have you checked for leaks in your irrigation system? It's a good idea to turn off your indoor water supply and see if your meter is still running. That might help you identify if there's a leak somewhere!
You might want to consider using rainwater harvesting with water butts. I have set up multiple butts connected to my downpipes and that has really cut down my tap water usage. Plus, if you’re growing plants that can tolerate summer droughts, you'll use less water overall!
I totally agree! Since I started using a rainwater system, my water costs have significantly decreased, and it's a more sustainable way to water your garden.
It's important to double-check your meter readings against the bill; sometimes companies estimate usage incorrectly. If you're sure there's no leak and your readings match, then a billing error could be the culprit! You can also consider adjusting your irrigation system for more targeted watering — that might help with pipe pressure too!
Definitely check for leaks! I had a similar issue where my irrigation system was wasting water. Turned out, I just needed to tighten a few connections.