Hey everyone! My water butt has seen better days and needs replacing. The water in it has gotten pretty foul smelling, and there are leaves and other gross stuff growing inside. Before I can swap it out, I need to empty it, but there's way too much water to just dump on my plants. I'm also hesitant to use it since it's so disgusting. I was thinking about pouring it into the brook behind my house, but I'm worried it might harm the local ecosystem. Any suggestions on how to dispose of this yucky water?
3 Answers
Yep, that rainwater should be fine on your plants or lawn. They can handle a bit of extra water, and it'll soak into the ground just fine. If you’re really unsure, you could always simply dump it incrementally rather than all at once.
You can totally use that water on your garden! Just spread it out over a few days, and your plants will thank you for it. The smell is just natural organic stuff, and believe it or not, it might even be a bit of a fertilizer. Just make sure it’s not too persistent flooding, and once you’re done, give the water butt a good rinse and maybe add some mesh to keep leaves from going in next time.
I say go ahead and pour it around your garden! More water than that falls from the sky every time it rains. Just make sure it's spaced out so it doesn't overwhelm any plants. You could also consider if you have a drain that leads to a road or something similar. If you're concerned about dumping it in the brook, just check if the water is flowing well—it should be fine as long as it’s not stagnant.