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-   -   Water Supply? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/water-supply-316206/)

Guelder Rose Jul 26th 2005 6:24 pm

Water Supply?
 
Whenever we had a dry spell in England we would be subjected to hose pipe bans due to water shortages ... despite the fact that it rains a lot in England.

Here in CA, where we get months of dry weather, everyone has their garden sprinklers going 24/7 and you never hear even a whisper of there being a water shortage. You can't even walk on the grass in the parks because they are totally sodden all year round due to the sprinklers being on so much.

Maybe it's a dumb question, but why does England suffer from water shortages when it has so much rain, and yet CA, which is parched for most of the year has an endless water supply?

:confused:

Ozzidoc Jul 26th 2005 7:02 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by Guelder Rose
Whenever we had a dry spell in England we would be subjected to hose pipe bans due to water shortages ... despite the fact that it rains a lot in England.

Here in CA, where we get months of dry weather, everyone has their garden sprinklers going 24/7 and you never hear even a whisper of there being a water shortage. You can't even walk on the grass in the parks because they are totally sodden all year round due to the sprinklers being on so much.

Maybe it's a dumb question, but why does England suffer from water shortages when it has so much rain, and yet CA, which is parched for most of the year has an endless water supply?

:confused:

CA is much better with grey (gray) water, and also can import it from another state.

Blighty is cr*p at the former, and cant really do the latter. Also, maybe blighty doesnt have enough dams? Not sure on that one.

:)

Guelder Rose Jul 26th 2005 7:05 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by Ozzidoc
CA is much better with grey (gray) water, and also can import it from another state.

Blighty is cr*p at the former, and cant really do the latter. Also, maybe blighty doesnt have enough dams? Not sure on that one.

:)

What is grey water?

snowbunny Jul 26th 2005 7:07 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by Guelder Rose
What is grey water?

Reclaiming water from sources like the drainage from the rinse cycle on your washing machine, or from your bathroom sinks, or from your bathtub.... where no real raw sewage is concerned. This *can* be reused for landscaping purposes and it's much easier to treat than is raw sewage.

There are laws based on local jurisdiction as to whether or not grey water can be reclaimed and if so, how it can be re-used.

Ray Jul 26th 2005 7:12 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 
Its all a bit more basic than that ...
If you have a water meter there is no shortage
If like in the UK most still do not have waters meters ..
then there is always a shortage ... and you have to
hold back on consuption

Guelder Rose Jul 26th 2005 7:15 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by Ray
Its all a bit more basic than that ...
If you have a water meter there is no shortage
If like in the UK most still do not have waters meters ..
then there is always a shortage ... and you have to
hold back on consuption

But in the UK, even those with a water meter are subject to the same hose-pipe bans as those without.

fatbrit Jul 26th 2005 7:48 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 
Fruit and nuts nick it from us through this.

snowbunny Jul 26th 2005 7:53 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by fatbrit
Fruit and nuts nick it from us through this.

The Mexicans simply disobey treaties and pump the Rio Grande dry.

Of course, the US's obedience of treaties has been rather pick-and-choose lately.

fatbrit Jul 26th 2005 7:57 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by snowbunny
The Mexicans simply disobey treaties and pump the Rio Grande dry.


Hell! Time to roll the tanks southwards, me thinks!

Big D Jul 26th 2005 7:57 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 
surely its like a lot of things - cost vs benefit - there are rarely hose pipe bans (although there is one at the moment in parts of the UK) as UK doesn't need the extra dams and other technology etc most of the time so its not worth the investments? Its like snow grinding UK to a halt where other countries carry on regardless - if we got shed loads of snow each year then we would invest in the infrastructure?

Sorry - getting my we mixed up, don't know where i am but meant UK!!!

snowbunny Jul 26th 2005 7:58 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by Big D
Sorry - getting my we mixed up, don't know where i am but meant UK!!!

No worries, Dallas rarely gets shedloads of snow either. :D

Ray Jul 26th 2005 8:01 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by Guelder Rose
But in the UK, even those with a water meter are subject to the same hose-pipe bans as those without.

My mum with a meter in Surrey is not ... her un-metered friend a street away are...

Big D Jul 26th 2005 8:01 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by snowbunny
No worries, Dallas rarely gets shedloads of snow either. :D

True - but 2 flakes and the chaos starts!!

krizzy Jul 26th 2005 8:08 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by Guelder Rose
But in the UK, even those with a water meter are subject to the same hose-pipe bans as those without.

I never water my garden.......one of the joys of having a garden full of sand and sand dune grass....

anotherlimey Jul 26th 2005 8:08 pm

Re: Water Supply?
 

Originally Posted by snowbunny
Reclaiming water from sources like the drainage from the rinse cycle on your washing machine, or from your bathroom sinks, or from your bathtub.... where no real raw sewage is concerned. This *can* be reused for landscaping purposes and it's much easier to treat than is raw sewage.

There are laws based on local jurisdiction as to whether or not grey water can be reclaimed and if so, how it can be re-used.

There's an article in Wired this month about a company called "Water Security" who can purify almost any waste water to meet environmental health standard for drinking water.

My old neighbour in the UK reported us for using a hose during a hose pipe ban even though we weren't using it; the m***** f*****.

EDIT: not that this is relevant.


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